Trump Fires Librarian of Congress, Cites DEI Concerns

President Donald Trump abruptly fired Carla Hayden, the first woman and African American Librarian of Congress, before the end of her 10-year term, citing concerns about her pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and alleged promotion of 'inappropriate' books for children. Hayden, appointed in 2016, was dismissed via a brief email from the White House after criticism from conservative groups, notably the American Accountability Foundation, who accused her of advancing liberal policies. Democrats and library advocates condemned the move as politically motivated and harmful to public institutions. The dismissal is seen as part of a broader Trump administration effort to remove federal officials perceived as unsupportive of his agenda, affecting multiple agencies. The White House did not provide detailed reasons beyond referencing DEI and book content concerns. Principal Deputy Librarian Robert Newlen will serve as acting Librarian until further notice.