The Library of Congress, a 225-year-old Washington institution, has never had a moment like this.

President Donald Trump fired Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, via email at 6:56 p.m. ET on May 8, 2025. Critics are condemning his decision, which came after Hayden's appearance earlier this week before a Congressional committee, where she faced questions about a costly library modernization project.

The nation’s first African American Librarian of Congress was the latest person to get fired by President Donald Trump, a move that librarians say could stymie progress in making the nation’s library more accessible and inclusive.