Trump Dismisses National Portrait Gallery Director Over Support for DEI and “Partisan” Leadership

Former President Donald Trump has removed Kim Sajet from her role as Director of the National Portrait Gallery, citing her outspoken support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and labeling her approach to leadership as “highly partisan.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby 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!”

The decision marks another move in Trump’s broader effort to eliminate DEI-focused leadership across federal institutions, a campaign that began in earnest after his second inauguration in January 2025.

A White House official also commented on Sajet’s oversight of Trump’s own portrait in the gallery, which included a caption noting that Trump was impeached twice during his first term — once for abuse of power and once for incitement of insurrection after the events of January 6, 2021. He was acquitted in both Senate trials. The portrait’s label also recognized Trump’s electoral comeback in 2024, highlighting that he became the second U.S. president in history to win nonconsecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland.

Critics of Sajet’s leadership pointed to the caption as an example of editorializing under the guise of historical context. The White House found it ironic, given Sajet’s past comments insisting that gallery text should avoid curatorial bias.

In a 2023 interview, Sajet said, “We try very much not to editorialize. I don’t want someone reading the label to get a sense of what the curator’s opinion is about that person. I want it to reflect historical fact.” Trump allies have argued that the portrait label failed to meet that standard.

The former gallery director’s views on identity politics and DEI were also scrutinized following a speech she gave in November 2024 at the Richardson Symposium at the National Portrait Gallery. In her address, titled “Racial Masquerade in American Art and Culture,” Sajet emphasized the need to confront systemic issues tied to race, gender, and power dynamics in the United States.

“America has never been able to separate a person’s appearance from their potential,” she said during the symposium. “Our history is filled, and continues to be, with examples of hatred, discrimination, fear, and alienation.”

She further reflected on a childhood memory tied to the Apollo 17 mission. Sajet described being deeply moved by the “Blue Marble” photograph of Earth taken by astronaut Jack Schmitt on December 7, 1972.

“For a moment, it felt like the world might come together and move beyond petty differences to embrace our shared humanity,” she said. “But that utopian vision feels very, very far away today in the terrifying wake of the most uncivil, mistrustful, racially insensitive, sexually exploitative, factually untruthful, digitally manipulated, secretive, and inflammatory election of the modern era.”

Critics say remarks like this, including her characterization of the National Portrait Gallery as a space “centered on identity politics,” reflect a leadership style misaligned with the Trump administration’s new direction for cultural institutions.

Sajet also referenced controversial subjects such as civil rights policy under President Eisenhower, the inclusion of transgender activist Sylvia Rivera in the gallery’s exhibits, and debates surrounding historical figures like Margaret Sanger.

Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, Trump signed an executive order eliminating DEI programs across all federal agencies. The order instructed departments to review staff, content, and funding associated with DEI initiatives, with the aim of realigning federal institutions under what Trump described as a “merit-first, ideology-free” framework.

Sajet’s removal follows other recent high-profile dismissals in the cultural and intellectual arms of the federal government. Last month, Trump dismissed Carla Hayden as Librarian of Congress. Days later, Shira Perlmutter, who headed the U.S. Copyright Office, was abruptly terminated via a direct email from the White House.

According to reports, Perlmutter was informed her position as Register of Copyrights had ended “effective immediately.” While no specific reason was provided in the message, insiders believe her dismissal was linked to broader administrative changes aimed at reshaping the leadership of government agencies to better align with Trump’s priorities.

With several top posts now vacant, the administration is expected to announce replacements in the coming weeks. The White House has emphasized its commitment to depoliticizing federal institutions, though critics argue the removals appear ideologically driven.

Sajet, originally appointed in 2013, was the first woman to lead the National Portrait Gallery. Under her leadership, the museum expanded its focus to include a broader range of voices, incorporating contemporary figures and underrepresented communities in its exhibitions.

Her supporters credit her with modernizing the institution, while opponents argue that she allowed political and cultural activism to overshadow historical balance.

As the Trump administration continues to implement its post-election agenda, the future of institutions like the National Portrait Gallery remains closely watched — both for who will lead them next and for how they will define the American story.