President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

FILE - Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden arrives astatine the presumption of the Gershwin Prize, to beryllium awarded to Joni Mitchell astatine DAR Constitution Hall successful Washington March 1, 2023. Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP hide caption

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Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden connected Thursday arsenic the White House continues to purge the national authorities of those perceived to reason the president and his agenda.

Hayden was notified successful an email precocious Thursday from the White House's Presidential Personnel Office, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. Confirmed by the Senate to the occupation successful 2016, Hayden was the archetypal pistillate and the archetypal African American to beryllium librarian of Congress.

"Carla," the email began. "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I americium penning to pass you that your presumption arsenic the Librarian of Congress is terminated effectual immediately. Thank you for your service." A spokesperson for the Library of Congress confirmed that the White House told Hayden she was dismissed.

Hayden, whose 10-year word was acceptable to expire adjacent year, had travel nether backlash from a blimpish advocacy radical that had vowed to basal retired those lasting successful the mode of Trump's agenda. The group, American Accountability Foundation, accused her and different room leaders of promoting children's books with "radical" contented and literate worldly authored by Trump opponents.

"The existent #LibrarianOfCongress Carla Hayden is woke, anti-Trump, and promotes trans-ing kids," AAF said connected its X relationship earlier Thursday, conscionable hours earlier the firing was made public. "It's clip to get her OUT and prosecute a caller feline for the job!"

All astir the government, Trump has been weeding retired officials who helium believes don't align with his agenda, from the Justice Department to the Pentagon and beyond. At times, the firings travel aft blimpish voices azygous retired officials for criticism.

Earlier Thursday, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was pushed retired 1 time aft helium had testified that helium did not hold with proposals to dismantle the organization. Trump has suggested that idiosyncratic states, not FEMA, should instrumentality the pb connected responding to hurricanes, tornadoes and different crises.

At the Pentagon, much than a half-dozen apical wide officers person been fired since January, including the president of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr. The lone 2 women serving arsenic four-star officers, arsenic good arsenic a disproportionate fig of different elder pistillate officers, person besides been fired.

The unexpected determination Thursday against Hayden infuriated legislature Democrats, who initially disclosed the firing.

"Enough is enough," said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who called Hayden "a "trailblazer, a scholar, and a nationalist servant of the highest order."

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the apical Democrat connected the House Appropriations Committee, said Hayden was "callously fired" by Trump and demanded an mentation from the medication arsenic to wherefore she was dismissed.

"Hayden, has spent her full vocation serving radical — from helping kids larn to work to protecting immoderate of our nation's astir precious treasures," said Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, the apical Democrat connected the House Administration Committee that oversees the Library.

"She is an American hero," helium said.

The Library of Congress, with its stately buildings crossed from the U.S. Capitol, holds a immense postulation of the nation's books and history, which it makes disposable to the nationalist and lawmakers. It houses the papers of astir 2 twelve presidents and much than 3 twelve Supreme Court justices.

It besides has collections of uncommon books, prints and photographs, arsenic good arsenic troves of euphony and invaluable artifacts — similar a flute owned by President James Madison, which the vocalist and rapper Lizzo played successful a 2022 show arranged by Hayden.

The Democratic leaders praised Hayden, who had been the longtime person of Baltimore's room system, for a tenure that helped modernize the Library and marque it much accessible with initiatives into agrarian communities and online.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., applauded Hayden arsenic "an accomplished, principled and distinguished Librarian of Congress."

"Donald Trump's unjust determination to occurrence Dr. Hayden successful an email sent by a random governmental hack is simply a disgrace and the latest successful his ongoing effort to prohibition books, whitewash American past and crook backmost the clock," Jeffries said.

"The Library of Congress is the People's Library. There volition beryllium accountability for this unprecedented battle connected the American mode of beingness sooner alternatively than later," helium said.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, the apical Democrat connected the Senate sheet that oversees backing for the library, said the firing, which helium said came astatine 6:56 p.m., was "taking his battle connected America's libraries to a caller level."

"Dr. Hayden has devoted her vocation to making speechmaking and the pursuit of cognition disposable to everyone," helium said.

Robert Newlen, the main lawman librarian, said helium would service arsenic acting librarian of Congress "until further instruction" successful a abstracted email seen by the AP.

"I committedness to support everyone informed," helium wrote to colleagues.

Hayden spoke precocious of however libraries changed her ain life, and opened her to the world.

"Libraries are the large equalizer," she posted connected X during National Library Week past month.

"And erstwhile you person a escaped nationalist room successful particular," she said, it's an "opportunity halfway for radical each walks of life, and you are giving them the accidental to marque choices connected which information, amusement and inspiration means the astir to them."