Trump Fires National Portrait Gallery director; Arts Advocates Push Back
Chris Garlock | Published on 5/31/2025
Washington, DC — In a stunning and possibly illegal move, President Donald Trump has
reportedly fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet, a top leader at the Smithsonian Institution, a federal entity long regarded as politically independent. The action, first reported by The Washington Post, marks Trump’s first direct intervention in the operations of the nation's flagship cultural institution. Advocates for the arts are speaking out, with some planning direct action in response. “I love the Portrait Gallery, and I especially love the exhibit The Shape of Power,” said Karen Nussbaum (Activists Launch “Patrons for the Kennedy Center” to Defend Arts and Democracy 3/31). “I’ll be there (Saturday, 5/31) with our Hands Off the Arts vests and palm cards on how to fight back. Ya gotta do something.” The legality of Trump’s action remains unclear, as presidential authority over the Smithsonian’s internal leadership is limited by statute and tradition. Arts supporters are urging the public to take action by calling their elected representatives: U.S. Senate: 202-224-3121; U.S. House: 202-225-3121. More protest actions and ideas are expected to surface as details unfold.