President Donald Trump has dismissed Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, citing her support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as “totally inappropriate” for her role. In a Truth Social post, Trump labeled Sajet a “highly partisan person” and announced her termination, stating a replacement would be named shortly.
Sajet, appointed in 2013, was the first woman to lead the gallery. Her tenure focused on increasing representation of women and minorities in the museum’s collection. Critics within the administration pointed to her emphasis on “language justice” and identity politics as evidence of ideological bias.
The dismissal aligns with Trump’s broader campaign to eliminate DEI programs across federal institutions. In January, he signed Executive Order 14151, mandating the termination of all DEI-related policies and positions within the federal government . Subsequent actions included the removal of DEI content from federal websites and the dissolution of related offices.
Legal experts question the president’s authority to unilaterally fire Smithsonian officials, as the institution operates independently under a board of regents. The Smithsonian has not yet commented on Sajet’s dismissal .
