The Smithsonian Institution refused President Donald Trump’s directive to dismiss Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery. In a statement released on Monday, June 9, the Smithsonian asserted that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to 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 read.
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The Trump administration proposed a 12% cut in funding to the Smithsonian, which includes the cancellation of funding for the National Museum of the American Latino and the Anacostia Community Museum.
Key timing
The statement landed just hours before the Board of Regents convened — Vice President JD Vance among its members — to discuss Sajet’s status. According to The Washington Post, Sajet has reported to work each day despite Trump’s late-May social media post announcing he was “firing” her. In the post, the president called Sajet “a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position.”
No specific mention, but the intent is clear
Although the Smithsonian’s statement never names Sajet, it opens by underscoring the institution’s independence: “In 1846, the Smithsonian was established by Congress as an independent entity.
“Throughout its history, the Smithsonian has been governed and administered by a Board of Regents and a Secretary,” the statement said. “The board is entrusted with the governance and independence of the Institution, and the board appoints a Secretary to manage the Institution.”
The message was clear: staffing decisions rest with the institution, not the White House.
Looming funding cuts
The Smithsonian’s defiance follows the Trump administration’s proposed 12% cut to the institution’s funding in the 2026 budget — a plan that would halt the development of the National Museum of the American Latino and shutter the Anacostia Community Museum, a cornerstone of Black cultural history.
Executive orders targeting cultural institutions
As Straight Arrow News previously reported, the administration’s executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” demanded the Smithsonian strip exhibits of “improper ideology” that portrays the United States negatively or “divide Americans.” Vance is spearheading the review across the Smithsonian’s 21 museums and the National Zoo.
The order mirrors the White House’s earlier takeover of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of its broader campaign to purge what it says is “woke” culture.
Why the Smithsonian is different
Unlike the performing arts center, whose board is presidentially appointed, the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents draws from all three branches of the government, a point noted by The Los Angeles Times. Members include Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, alongside Vance.
On Monday, June 9, the board affirmed its commitment to a nonpartisan Smithsonian, authorizing Bunch to safeguard that principle.
“The Smithsonian must be a welcoming place of knowledge and discovery for all Americans,” the statement read. “The Board of Regents is committed to ensuring that the Smithsonian is a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence, and we recognize that our institution can and must do more to further these foundational values.”
“Ensure unbiased content”
The board also directed Bunch to issue clear guidance on exhibit standards, give museum directors time to adjust displays, and report back on progress, including any needed personnel changes. In an email to The New York Times, a Smithsonian spokesperson said, “This is an interim measure and does not rule out potential personnel actions.”
The Trump administration has not yet responded to the Smithsonian’s statement.
