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Kim Sajet, director of The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, has stepped down from her post, two weeks after President Donald Trump announced her termination on social media
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 16 Jun 2025
Kim Sajet has resigned as director of the National Portrait Gallery after 12 years in the role Credit: Wendy Concannon via The Smithsonian
Kim Sajet has resigned from her post as director of The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington two weeks after President Donald Trump called for her dismissal on social media.
Trump claimed to have fired Sajet in a social media post on May 30, describing her as a “highly-partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position.”
The Smithsonian’s board of regents, however, pushed back against the president’s decision, stating: “All personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the secretary with oversight by the board.”
According to The Guardian, Trump’s remarks were reportedly prompted by Sajet’s acceptance of Democratic political donations and her 2019 rejection of a pro-Trump painting by artist Julian Raven. Raven told The Washingtonian that Sajet deemed the work “too political” for inclusion in the gallery.
Sajet, appointed in 2013, was the first woman to lead the National Portrait Gallery. She confirmed her resignation in a LinkedIn post in June, describing her time at the gallery as “the honor of a lifetime.”
“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one,” Sajet wrote in an internal email acquired by multiple media outlets on Friday, June 13.
“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,” she added.
An executive order signed by Trump will subject The Smithsonian’s network of museums, including the National Portrait Gallery (pictured), to a content review CREDIT: NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY VIA THE SMITHSONIAN
Smithsonian secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III wrote: “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.
“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.”
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle released the following statement in response to Sajet’s resignation: “On day one, President Trump made clear that there is no place for dangerous anti-American ideology in our government and institutions.
“In align [sic] with this objective, he ordered the termination of Kim Sajet. The Trump Administration is committed to restoring American greatness and celebrating our nation’s proud history.”
Kevin Gover, The Smithsonian’s undersecretary for museums and culture, replaces Sajet as acting director of the gallery. He previously served as director of the National Museum of the American Indian from 2007 until January 2021.
The news comes after The Smithsonian announced that it will carry out a content review across its network of 21 museums, as well as the National Zoo, following an executive order issued by the Trump Administration in March 2025.
The order specifically targeted The Smithsonian, calling for the removal of any “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” – a directive that history professor Samuel Redman of the University of Massachusetts Amherst described in The Guardian as “troubling and quite scary.”
Museums and galleries
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