Trump administration fires librarian of Congress

The White House on Thursday notified Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden that she was removed from her position, a spokesperson for the Library of Congress told CNN.

The White House on Thursday notified Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden that she was removed from her position, a spokesperson for the Library of Congress told CNN. While the reason for Hayden’s removal was not immediately clear, several congressional Democrats swiftly criticized President Donald Trump and accused him of targeting books. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a statement called Hayden’s termination “a disgrace and the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock.” CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Hayden was sworn in as the librarian of Congress in September 2016, becoming the first woman and Black person to hold the position. She had about a year and a half left in her 10-year term. She told CNN during the early days of her tenure that her plans for the library included bringing the contents of the library to people who might not have direct access to the physical building in the nation’s capital.