‘She is an American hero’: Democrats erupt after Trump administration axes Librarian of Congress in email

On Thursday, the Trump administration suddenly fired Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress. This has led to quick and strong criticism from Democratic leaders. The termination was announced through a short email from the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office, ending Hayden’s time as the first woman and first African American to hold the position.

She had been appointed by President Obama in 2016 and had led the library for almost ten years. The email did not give a reason for the firing. Still, it happened after a conservative group called the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) publicly attacked Hayden. According to NPR, they claimed she supported books with “radical” content and works written by Trump’s critics.

Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee that oversees the Library, said, “Hayden has spent her entire career serving people — from helping kids learn to read to protecting some of our nation’s most precious treasures. She is an American hero.

Trump fires Librarian of Congress in an email

The AAF specifically pointed to children’s books and accused Hayden of pushing transgender ideologies. Hayden’s firing was part of a larger trend in the Trump administration, removing officials seen as standing in the way of the president’s goals. This happened in multiple departments, including the Justice Department, the Pentagon, and FEMA, where officials were reportedly let go after facing backlash from conservative figures.

FEMA’s acting administrator was fired just one day after disagreeing with plans to break up the agency. At the Pentagon, several high-ranking officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a notably high number of senior female officers, were also removed.

The Library of Congress is the oldest government-run cultural institution in the U.S. and holds a massive collection of over 178 million items. This includes books, photographs, musical instruments, and priceless artifacts like a flute once owned by President James Madison, which musician Lizzo famously played during a 2022 performance arranged by Hayden.

The library acts as the main research branch for the U.S. Congress and makes its vast collection available to the public. During Hayden’s leadership, the library worked on modernizing its systems to improve access, including efforts to connect with rural communities and expand online resources.

Democrats were outraged by Hayden’s dismissal. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called her a “trailblazer, a scholar, and a public servant of the highest order.” At the same time, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described the firing as “a disgrace” and part of a continuing effort to ban books and rewrite American history. Representative Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, demanded an explanation for what she called Hayden’s “callous” termination.

Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian, took over as acting librarian of Congress while waiting for further instructions. Hayden’s firing came about a year and a half before the end of her ten-year term.