US President Donald Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that he has fired Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), alleging she is a "highly partisan person" and a supporter of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Sajet, who became the first woman to lead the NPG in 2013, has not commented, and the Smithsonian declined to comment. It remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to fire Smithsonian employees, as the institution is governed by a board of regents and receives partial federal funding.
This incident marks another escalation in Trump's ongoing targeting of the Smithsonian and other cultural institutions since returning to office, following executive orders that ended DEI initiatives and directed Vice President JD Vance to remove "divisive" ideology from Smithsonian properties. The NPG, which houses official presidential portraits and is located near the White House, becomes a flashpoint in the broader political battle over cultural representation and federal arts governance, raising questions about executive power over independent institutions.