President Donald Trump said he was sacking the longtime director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, on Friday, ending the 12-year tenure of the first woman to serve as the gallery’s director.
“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. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday afternoon.
It is not immediately clear if the president can dismiss the gallery’s director. The National Portrait Gallery, which was founded by Congress in 1962, operates under the purview of the Smithsonian Institution. According to its website, the Smithsonian is funded through a mix of public and private money, with federal funding making up 62 percent of its backing.