The venerable Smithsonian Institution is taking a stand against the Trump administration, asserting that it has sole authority over its hiring practices, even as it tries not to provoke President Donald Trump.
The museum’s governing board released a statement after a meeting Monday, its first comments since Trump said last month that he had fired the director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet.
The cultural institution said in the press release that only its secretary can hire and fire workers.
“All personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the Secretary, with oversight by the Board.”
“Lonnie G. Bunch, the Secretary, has the support of the Board of Regents in his authority and management of the Smithsonian,” the statement continued.
Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History, oversees the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, numerous research centers and education programs.
The board also stressed in its statement the nonpartisan nature of the museum since it was founded and pledged to remain neutral.
“As the nation’s museum, the Smithsonian must be a welcoming place of knowledge and discovery for all Americans,” the board said. And continued that it “is committed to ensuring that the Smithsonian is a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence,” but then it acknowledged that it must do more to ensure nonpartisanship, saying “we recognize that our institution can and must do more to further these foundational values.”
Vice President JD Vance was also at the quarterly meeting where Trump’s announcement on firing Sajet was discussed. The board promised to review its exhibits and displays.
“To reinforce our nonpartisan stature, the Board of Regents has directed the Secretary to articulate specific expectations to museum directors and staff regarding content in Smithsonian museums, give directors reasonable time to make any needed changes to ensure unbiased content, and to report back to the Board on progress and any needed personnel changes based on success or lack thereof in making the needed changes,” the statement continued.
The meeting and statement follow Trump’s social media post last month when he said he fired Sajet because he thinks she’s biased.
“Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social in May.
“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,” he said.
In addition to Trump’s criticism of Sajet over what he called her support for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, the White House said she had engaged in acts of “partisanship” and made “public comments about racial and gender inequality in America,” according to a report in The New York Times.
As of last week, Sajet was still on the job, continuing to report for work every day, according to news and social media reports.
It should also be noted that after Trump’s executive order in January declaring diversity, equity an inclusion initiatives “illegal and immoral,” the Smithsonian closed its diversity office, froze hiring for federal positions and ordered its staff to return to the office in April.
