Trump Removes Librarian of Congress in Surprise Dismissal, Fires Top FEMA Official Days Later

In a sudden and controversial move, President Donald Trump has removed Carla Hayden from her post as Librarian of Congress, ending her tenure with immediate effect. The dismissal was communicated via email on Thursday by Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel, without any prior warning.

The message was brief and direct: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service.” The email was later verified by CBS News.

An official from the White House confirmed the decision in a follow-up email, stating simply that Hayden had been “relieved of her position.”

The announcement drew swift criticism from Democratic lawmakers. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries denounced the firing, calling it “a disgrace” and labeling it part of what he described as the president’s ongoing agenda to “ban books, erase parts of American history, and drag the country backwards.”

Carla Hayden made history in 2016 when she became the first woman and the first African American to serve as the Librarian of Congress. She previously led the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, where she served as CEO for over two decades. During her leadership, she was widely praised for expanding access to public resources and supporting literacy programs, particularly in underserved communities.

In a past interview with CBS News, Hayden reflected on the historical weight of her role: “Personally, being a person of color, it means so much because people who look like me were once forbidden by law to read. It means everything that I was entrusted to lead the world’s largest library.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned the move, calling for structural reforms. “No president should have the unilateral power to treat major public appointments like reality show prizes,” he said. “We need a bipartisan commission to oversee appointments of this importance.”

Representative Joe Morelle of New York, who serves as the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, labeled the decision “ignorant and damaging,” arguing that Hayden’s removal could negatively impact copyright protections, legislative research services, and the broader functioning of America’s libraries.

But Hayden’s removal was not the only shake-up in the federal government this week.

President Trump also dismissed Cameron Hamilton, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), following a tense appearance before Congress. Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL and senior FEMA official, was summoned to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he was informed of his termination by Deputy DHS Secretary Troy Edgar and presidential adviser Corey Lewandowski.

Hamilton’s firing came just a day after he testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee. During that hearing, he appeared to push back on recent remarks by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who had suggested that FEMA could be dismantled and its responsibilities shifted to individual states—a controversial proposal that Trump has reportedly been exploring.

“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate FEMA,” Hamilton said during the hearing, a statement that may have sealed his fate.

Following his dismissal, the DHS confirmed that David Richardson, previously associated with the department’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, would step in to perform the duties of FEMA administrator on an interim basis.

According to reports from Politico, Hamilton had been contemplating stepping down for several months as the Trump administration’s leadership began to take shape. He was reportedly encouraged to stay by internal staff, who believed his presence would bring stability during a period of transition.

This is not the first wave of firings at FEMA since Trump returned to office. Earlier this year, DHS terminated four other FEMA employees for what was described as an “egregious” unauthorized decision to pay for hotel accommodations for undocumented migrants in New York City.

“These employees bypassed the chain of command and acted without approval,” a DHS spokesperson said at the time. “Their actions were in direct conflict with agency policy and priorities.”

The back-to-back firings—of both a cultural figure like Hayden and a national security official like Hamilton—underscore the assertive pace at which Trump is reshaping leadership across federal institutions.

While supporters of the president argue that these removals are necessary to install loyal, aligned personnel in key positions, critics see the pattern as troubling. They warn that longstanding institutions risk being politicized in ways that could undermine their credibility and independence.

As the administration continues to recalibrate its ranks, many are left wondering which agency or office might be next in line for drastic change.