Trump has removed Carla Hayden from her role as Librarian of Congress, according to a spokesperson for the Library of Congress.
Hayden, who made history in 2016 as the first woman and first Black person to serve in the role, had about 18 months left in her 10-year term. While the White House has yet to offer a reason for the decision, critics are calling it a dangerous act of censorship.
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Symone Sanders, political commentator and former senior advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, called the firing “very disturbing” and possibly illegal. Speaking in a widely shared video, Sanders laid out the timeline and possible motivations behind the dismissal.
“Dr. Hayden was summarily dismissed with no cause. It is illegal to remove the Librarian of Congress before their term ends without just cause—and there was none,” Sanders said.
She noted that Hayden’s removal came shortly after a conservative group, the American Accountability Foundation, accused her of promoting “radical literature” and labeled her as “woke.” That group reportedly pressured the White House to replace her with someone more aligned with far-right ideologies.
“This is another shot across the bow,” Sanders warned. “If folks stay quiet while conservative groups target public servants for doing their jobs, this won’t stop here.”
During her time as Librarian of Congress, Hayden worked to expand digital access, promote diverse voices, and bring the library’s vast resources to underserved communities across the country. She even made headlines in 2022 when she allowed Lizzo to play President James Madison’s historic 200-year-old crystal flute, a move that earned both celebration and criticism.
Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have also condemned the firing. Jeffries called it “a disgrace and the latest in [Trump’s] effort to ban books and whitewash American history.”
