Trump Fires National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet Over DEI and “Partisanship”
President Donald Trump has announced the dismissal of Kim Sajet, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, citing her support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and what he described as partisan conduct.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery. She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly.”
Sajet, who had served as director since 2013, was also at the center of controversy surrounding a caption accompanying a portrait of Trump in the museum. The caption referred to the former president’s two impeachments, his acquittals, and his historic non-consecutive second term victory in 2024.
Critics within the Trump administration pointed to the caption as an example of editorializing under Sajet’s leadership, despite her previous public claims that the gallery strives to avoid inserting opinion into historical displays.
“We try very much not to editorialize. I don’t want by reading the label to get a sense of what the curator’s opinion is,” Sajet said in a prior interview. “I want someone reading the label to understand that it’s based on historical fact.”
Focus on DEI Sparks Backlash
Trump’s criticism of Sajet extends beyond the portrait caption. In a speech delivered at the Richardson Symposium in November, Sajet focused heavily on themes of identity politics, race, and social justice. She cited issues of hatred, discrimination, and alienation in American history and described the Portrait Gallery as a space deeply engaged in cultural identity conversations.
Referencing a photo taken by Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmidt in 1972, Sajet reflected on a lost sense of global unity and optimism, calling today’s political climate one of the most “uncivil, mistrustful, racially insensitive, sexually exploitative, factually untruthful” in modern history.
During her speech, Sajet defended controversial curatorial decisions, such as maintaining the display of transgender activist Sylvia Rivera’s portrait and refusing to remove depictions of historical figures like Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood.
“The National Portrait Gallery is all about identity politics,” Sajet said.
Trump Moves to Eliminate DEI in Government
Sajet’s dismissal comes amid a broader effort by the Trump administration to eliminate DEI programs across the federal government. On Inauguration Day, shortly after retaking office, Trump signed an executive order abolishing all DEI initiatives in federal agencies, calling them “divisive and ideologically driven.”
This decision follows a growing trend in the administration to remove high-ranking officials seen as obstacles to Trump’s agenda.
Library of Congress Shake-Up Continues
In a related development, the administration also terminated two top officials at the Library of Congress within the past month. Shira Perlmutter, head of the U.S. Copyright Office, was removed via email with immediate effect. Just days earlier, Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, was also dismissed.
While the White House has not publicly explained these firings in detail, sources close to the administration suggest that both officials were perceived as resistant to new directives being pushed by Trump’s team.
With Kim Sajet’s departure, the Smithsonian Institution—which oversees the National Portrait Gallery—faces increasing pressure to conform to the Trump administration’s vision for federally funded cultural institutions. A replacement for Sajet is expected to be announced soon.
