Trump says he’s fired National Portrait Gallery director amid Washington arts scene takeover

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he was dismissing Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, ending her 12-year tenure as the first woman to lead the institution. The decision follows the president’s broader effort to reshape cultural institutions in Washington, including a recent directive to Vice President JD Vance to remove “improper ideology” from Smithsonian museums.

“Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am herby [sic] terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly.”

It remains unclear whether the president has the authority to remove Sajet from her position. The National Portrait Gallery, established by Congress in 1962, falls under the Smithsonian Institution, which receives about 62 percent of its funding from the federal government. The institution operates with both public and private funds and has traditionally maintained some independence from direct political control.

The gallery, best known for its “America’s Presidents” exhibit, houses over 23,000 artworks and is a major tourist attraction in downtown Washington.

The White House responded to inquiries with articles linking Sajet to Democratic and progressive causes, but did not answer questions about Trump’s legal authority to terminate her employment. The gallery itself declined to comment.

Trump’s decision follows his March 27 executive order instructing Vice President Vance to root out “divisive narratives” from federally supported museums and education centers, including references to systemic racism and recognition of transgender figures in the planned American Women’s History Museum. The administration argues these themes represent “race-centered ideologies” and attempts to “rewrite history” to marginalize white Americans.

Before leading the National Portrait Gallery, Sajet held positions at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Her dismissal marks another step in Trump’s campaign to overhaul cultural leadership in the capital. In February, he removed the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, named himself chair, and criticized the institution for becoming “too woke.” Trump then appointed former ambassador Richard Grenell as interim director and added several conservative figures, including Fox News personalities, to its board.