President Trump said he fired a Smithsonian museum director. Can he do that?
On May 30, President Trump claimed he was firing Kim Sajet, the director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
“Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am herby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery,” he wrote on Truth Social. He claimed Sajet is “a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position.”
The National Portrait Gallery is dedicated to portraits of influential and iconic American figures. Of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, it is not the largest, nor is Sajet unique among its directors in spearheading exhibitions that explore American diversity.
Trump’s social media post echoed an earlier executive order in which he criticized the Smithsonian for being “under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology.”
Sajet, however, continues to report for work, according to The Washington Post. The White House did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Can the president fire a Smithsonian director?
The Smithsonian isn’t part of the executive branch. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1846, it’s governed by a Board of Regents or trustees. The Smithsonian Secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch III, is in charge of the day-to-day management of the museums, nine research facilities and the National Zoo. “Regents establish major policies for the Institution and oversee their implementation by the Secretary,” according to the Smithsonian.
Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John G. Roberts and Vice President JD Vance are ex officio members of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, meaning they serve as a duty of their office. The Chief Justice also serves as its chancellor. The board also includes three members from the US Senate, three members from the U.S. House of Representatives, and nine public citizens.
The Board of Regents convenes at least four times per year with meeting dates scheduled in advance. You can read the agenda for the June 9 meeting here.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), a member of the Board of Regents, told The Washington Post the board has been gathering more information about Sajet’s performance and Trump’s claims and plans to discuss the matter at Monday’s meeting.
“Clearly, the president has no authority whatsoever to fire her,” Peters told the Post, “The Smithsonian is an independent institution, and the director of the Smithsonian is the one who she reports to, and that’s the person who makes the decision as to hiring and firing of individuals.”
Should Trump fire a museum director?
Since taking office less than five months ago, Trump has aggressively tried to reshape cultural institutions to his liking. The president enabled DOGE to make sweeping cuts to the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. After he abruptly took over the Kennedy Center, several artists canceled their shows.
As he targets Sajet, the museum community is looking on in disbelief.
“Museums serve the public good, they’re meant to hold the public trust,” said Lisa Strong, director of the Art and Museum Studies MA program at Georgetown University. “And that’s why museum directors are not political appointments.”
When the board meets on Monday, Strong hopes they say no to Trump. “If they capitulate here, then they’re sending the message that all of the museums within the Smithsonian are up for grabs,” she said, “and then they just become political arms instead of independent institutions that share America’s history through the objects in their collections.”
The Smithsonian declined NPR’s request for comment.
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