The Smithsonian Institution issued a statement asserting its independence after President Donald Trump claimed he fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet. The statement did not name Sajet or Trump directly but affirmed that all personnel decisions are made by the Secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch, with board oversight. It followed reports that Sajet continued working despite the supposed firing and that the Trump administration had compiled a 17-point list of grievances against her. The statement also noted the Board of Regents directed the Secretary to ensure unbiased content in Smithsonian museums.
This matters because it represents a direct institutional challenge to presidential authority over a major cultural organization, highlighting tensions between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian over perceived ideological bias. The dispute comes amid proposed 12% budget cuts to the Smithsonian in the White House's 2026 budget, which would eliminate separate funding for the National Museum of the American Latino and restructure the Anacostia Community Museum. The outcome could set a precedent for the independence of federally affiliated museums and their directors, especially under executive orders targeting museum content.