The Smithsonian Institution on Monday emphasized its “nonpartisan stature” and said “all personnel decisions” are made by its secretary more than a week after President Donald Trump said he would remove the director of the National Portrait Gallery.
The institution said in a statement on Monday that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the Secretary, with oversight by the Board.” It comes amid tension in recent months between several art institutions and the president, who has tried to reshape leadership and put in place his own personnel choices.
Trump claimed in late May that he was removing Kim Sajet as director of the National Portrait Gallery. Sajet, who has led the Smithsonian-affiliated institution since 2013, is the first woman to serve in that role.
The president cited concerns over her political leanings and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, though his statement did not cite specific incidents or provide evidence of partisanship.
“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!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post at the time.
The Smithsonian’s statement also noted that the institution has set out to be nonpartisan and that its Board of Regents “is committed to ensuring that the Smithsonian is a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence.”
The board directed the secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch III, “to articulate specific expectations to museum directors and staff regarding content in Smithsonian museums,” give directors time to make changes to “ensure unbiased content” and report back on progress and any needed personnel changes.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who sits on the Smithsonian board and is the chancellor, previously declined to comment on the matter. CNN has reached out to Roberts on the latest statement by the board of regents.
CNN has also reached out to the Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery and White House for comment.
Targeting cultural and artistic institutions
Trump has removed several members of independent agencies and entities since the start of his second term, including the board of trustees and chairman at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, senior officials at federal labor agencies, Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission and inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies.
The Smithsonian Institution — the world’s largest museum complex, including 21 museums and the National Zoo — has also been a target for the Trump administration as he has looked to influence American cultural and artistic institutions.
The president signed an executive order in March that put Vice President JD Vance, who also serves on the Smithsonian’s board of regents, in charge of stopping government spending on “exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.”
In his order, Trump specifically targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian American Art Museum as carrying exhibits and promoting language he deemed inappropriate.
He also signed an order in March directing the Institution of Museum and Library Services, who supports museums and libraries in all 50 states, among several other government entities, to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.”
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