Director of National Portrait Gallery Resigns

The Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, has Resigned just Two weeks after, Trump (R) attempted to Fire Her and accused Her of being “highly partisan and a strong supporter of DEI”.

“We thank Kim for her service. Her decision to put the museum first is to be applauded and appreciated. I know this was not an easy decision. She put the needs of the Institution above her own, and for that we thank her,” Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian Secretary, wrote in a Friday Internal email.

“We are grateful to Kim for leading the National Portrait Gallery with passion and creativity for 12 years. Throughout her tenure, she has reimagined and reshaped the impact and storytelling of portraiture.” The Dutchwoman guiding the gallery of America’s most famous faces.

The Announcement comes after the Smithsonian Institution earlier this week, Rebuffed Trump’s attempt to Fire Sajet, with the Museum’s Governing Board asserting its Independence, and turning away the Trump’s Claim-of-Authority over the Institution’s Staffing.

Trump announced on May 30th, that He had Fired Sajet, calling Her a “highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position”.

His Attack focused, among other Reasons, on her Democratic Political Donations and Her Rejection of a Ppro-Trump Painting by artist Julian Raven. Sajet reportedly told Raven His Artwork was “too pro-Trump” and “too political” for the Gallery, the Aartist told the Washingtonian in 2019.

In a Statement on Monday, the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents Declared that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the secretary, with Oversight by the board”. The Statement did Not name Sajet or Mention the Trump Administration directly.

Following Trump’s Announcement, Sajet continued Reporting to Work throughout early June, creating a Direct Confrontation between the White House and the Smithsonian Institution, the Country’s Flagship Cultural Institution that has a 178-year-old Governance Structure built against Political Interference.

Appointed in 2013, Sajet became the National Portrait Gallery’s First Ffemale Director. Kevin Gover, Undersecretary for Museums and Culture, has Replaced Her as Acting Director of the Museum. In a Statement on Friday, Sajet said it had been “the honor of a lifetime to lead the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery”.










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