Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC, announced on Friday (13 June) that she is resigning after 12 years in the role. Her decision comes two weeks after US President Donald Trump abruptly claimed in a social-media post that he was firing Sajet for allegedly being a “highly partisan person” and “a strong supporter of [diversity, equity and inclusion programmes], which is totally inappropriate for her position”. The NPG is part of the Smithsonian Institution, not the federal government, so the president does not actually have the authority to fire its employees, as the Smithsonian pointed out earlier this week.
“It has been the honour of a lifetime to lead the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery,” Sajet wrote in a statement sent to the Smithsonian’s staff on Friday morning and shared with The Art Newspaper. “This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one. From the very beginning, my guiding principle has been to put the museum first. Today, I believe that stepping aside is the best way to serve the institution I hold so deeply in my heart. The role of a museum director has never been about one individual—it is a shared mission, driven by the passion, creativity and dedication of an extraordinary team.”
In the same all-staff message the Smithsonian’s secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch, praised Sajet for having “reimagined and reshaped the impact and storytelling of portraiture”. He added: “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.” Following Sajet’s departure, the Smithsonian’s under-secretary for museums and culture, Kevin Gover, will serve as the NPG’s acting director.
Sajet’s departure caps a tense standoff with the Trump administration, which has sought to remake cultural institutions in Washington, DC, and end any DEI programmes at organisations receiving significant federal funding—in fiscal year 2024 the Smithsonian received around $1.09bn in government appropriations. Following an executive order Trump signed on the first day of his second term, both the Smithsonian and the National Gallery of Art shuttered their diversity initiatives. Trump also targeted the Smithsonian specifically in an executive order in late March, which directed its museums to remove “divisive, race-centered ideology” and threatened to deny funding for any exhibitions or works that “degrade shared American values”.
Regarding Sajet’s work in particular, Trump’s original social-media post offered no specifics, but when she continued showing up to work the White House shared a 17-point list of grievances. According to The Washington Post, these included a wall text at the museum accompanying a portrait of Trump that mentions the “incitement of insurrection” during the events of 6 January 2021, as well as the fact that Trump was impeached twice during his first term.
In a joint statement earlier this month, the Democratic lawmakers Joe Morelle (the ranking member on the House Administration Committee) and Rosa DeLauro (the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee) described the president’s attempted firing of Sajet as illegal: “The dismissal of director Sajet is unacceptable and has the same legal weight as the president’s prior attempts to undermine the Smithsonian’s independence: absolutely none.”
In Sajet’s message announcing her decision to step down, she concluded: “Together, we have worked to tell a fuller, more American story—one that fosters connection, reflection and understanding. I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues, our supporters and the public for their trust, collaboration and unwavering commitment. It has been a true privilege to lead this remarkable institution, and I will always remain its steadfast champion.”
