Zu beachten sind hier gerade 4 verschiedene Vorgänge:

• Die Kündigung der Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden
• Die Kündigung der Director of Copyright Shila Perlmutter
• Das offene Schicksal des stellvertretenden und amtierenden Librarian of Congress Robert Newlan
• Die eingesetzte Laiengruppe

Vorausgegangen der Kündigung der Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden war eine Meldung der American Accountability Foundation auf X.com, in der sie als „woke“ bezeichnet wurde.

Dieser Gruppe wurde im The Guardian im Februar 2025 bereits zugeordnet:

A recent list created by the American Accountability Foundation called the “DEI Watch List” includes mostly Black people with roles in government health roles alleged to have some tie to diversity initiatives. Another targets education department employees in career roles who “cannot be trusted to faithfully execute the agenda of the elected President of the United States”. One calls out the “most subversive immigration bureaucrats”.

Project 2025 thinktank has backed group listing ‘woke’ federal workers, The Guardian (06.02.2025)

Bibliothekar*in in den USA zu sein, war schon immer eine Herausforderung, aber mit Trumps Administration wurde es sogar gefährlich und risikoreich, wie The Guaridan Anfang April berichtete.

Dann kam der 08.05.2025 und mit ihm eine Flut sich überschlagender Meldungen.

JUST IN: President Trump Abruptly Fires Obama-Appointed Librarian of Congress Who Pushed ‘Sexual Identity’ on Children, PundIt.com (08.05.2025) [15.05.2025] – zeigt, wie die Anhänger Trumps die Situation beurteilen. Dem gegenüber stehen viele Artikel und Statements, die deutlich machen, wie sehr die Librarian of Congress geschätzt wird und die Welt die Kündigung beurteilt.

• Trump fires longtime Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, CBS News (09.05.2025)
• Trump Installs Top Justice Dept. Official at Library of Congress, Prompting a Standoff, New York Times (12.05.2025)
• Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, Washington Post (09.05.2025)
• Trump abruptly fires librarian of Congress in latest purge of government, The Guardian (09.05.2025)
• President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, AP (09.05.2025)
• Trump administration fires librarian of Congress, CNN (09.05.2025)
• Trump abruptly fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, Roll Call (09.05.2025)
• Via email, Trump fires head of world’s largest library: The Library of Congress, USA Today (09.05.2025)
• Heinrich Reacts to Trump’s Firing of Librarian of Congress, Senator Martin Heinrich (09.05.2025)
• DeLauro on the Firing of the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, Committee on Appropriations Democrats (09.05.2025)
• Trump Fires First Woman to Run the Library of Congress, The Daily Beast (09.05.2025)
• Trump limoge Carla Hayden, directrice de la Bibliothèque du Congrès, Actualitte.com (09.05.2025)
• Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Fired by White House, Publishers Weekly (09.05.2025)

Die durch eine Sprecherin des Weißen Hauses vorgebrachten fadenscheinigen Gründe für die Kündigung von Frau Dr. Hayden wurden innerhalb kürzester Zeit in der Luft zerrissen.

• ‚No idea what her job was‘: Trump’s WH press sec buried over her remarks on fired official, Alter Net (09.05.2025)
• Trump Fired Librarian of Congress Over D.E.I., New York Times (09.05.2025)

Nach der Kündigung von Dr. Carla Hayden, der Librarian of Congress folgten die Nachrichten, dass auch die Direktorin des Copyright Office Shira Perlmutter gekündigt wurde.

• Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say, CBS News (10.05.2025)
• Morelle’s Statement on Abrupt Firing of Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights, Committee on House Administration (10.05.2025)
• Trump Fires U.S. Copyright Chief Days After Landmark AI Report, The Daily Beast (12.05.2025)
• Trump administration fires top copyright official days after firing Librarian of Congress, Europe says (11.05.2025)
• Becker, Andreas: Trump feuert Copyright-Chefin nach Bericht zu KI-Training, All-AI.de (11.05.2025)
• Pentagon-Überprüfung von Militärbibliotheken bedroht intellektuelle Freiheit, IT Boltwise (11.05.2025)

Die Kündigung der Librarian of Congress wird als ein weiterer Schritt eingeschätzt, die Bibliotheken und Kultureinrichtungen zu unterminieren.

Hayden’s dismissal is seen by many as a continuation of the current administration’s efforts to check cultural and literacy institutions, including the attempted shuttering of the Institute of Library Services (IMLS) and the firing of Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan.

Quelle: Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Is Fired, Library Journal (12.05.2025)

Trump versuchte sehr schnell die mehr oder weniger vakant gewordenen Posten der Librarian of Congress, des Stellvertreters und der Direktorin des Copyright Office mit seinen Leuten neu zu besetzen.

• Justice Department’s Todd Blanche appointed acting Librarian of Congress, CBS News, (12.05.2025)
• Deputy attorney general who defended Trump in hush money trial is named acting librarian of Congress, AP, (12.05.2025)
• Trump Names His Former Defense Attorney As Temporary Librarian Of Congress After Ousting Predecessor, Forbes, (12.05.2025)
• The President has named a new Acting Librarian of Congress. It’s his former defense lawyer, npr (12.05.2025)
• Trump’s Attempted Library of Congress Takeover Thwarted as Two of His Appointees Were ‘Escorted Off the Premises’: CBS News, Mediaite, (12.05.2025)
• Senior Justice Department officials tapped by Trump to run Library of Congress are denied access, CNN (12.05.2025)
• Top Justice Dept. Official Is Now Also Acting Librarian of Congress, NewYork Times (12.05.2025)
• Trump taps Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting head of Library of Congress, RollCall (12.05.2025)
• Library of Congress Staff Turn Away New MAGA Bosses, The Daily Beast (12.05.2025)
• Todd Blanche nominated to be new librarian of Congress, Washington Examiner (12.05.2025)

Die Besetzungsriege ist umstritten …

“The executive has no authority to demand or receive confidential legislative branch data, and the Library has no legal basis to supply such information without authorization from Congress,” he [Rep. Joe Morelle, Demokrat, Anm. d. Verf.] wrote.

Hill leaders question Trump’s attempted Library of Congress takeover, Politico (12.05.2025)

… und der Versuch Trumps bisher nicht wirklich erfolgreich:

Sources told WIRED that Capitol Police prevented the men from entering the copyright office, but a spokesperson for the law enforcement agency denied that officers escorted anyone out or denied them entry.

Quelle: Trump Appointees Blocked From Entering US Copyright Office, Wired, 12.05.2025

The Library of Congress is not under the president’s control — it’s part of the legislative branch. Trump has no legal authority to fire the Librarian or appoint a replacement.

The result: two Trump-aligned officials tried to assume control Monday and were immediately shown the door.

(…)

Trump’s power move wasn’t just rejected — it was shut down at the door.

Quelle: Trump Appointees Thrown Out of Library of Congress After Botched Takeover Attempt, Daily Bolder (12.05.2025)

Was nicht zuletzt auch am amtierenden Librarian of Congress Robert Newlen liegt:

• Monday’s lesson: Don’t mess with librarians., Law Dork (12.05.2025)

Was folgt ist der Kampf der U.S. Legislative gegen die U.S. Exekutive um die Library of Congress:

In two May 12 emails to LoC staff, one before noon and the other just after 5 p.m., Newlen said that he would share information as it became available. “Congress continues to engage with the White House, and we have not yet received direction from Congress about how to move forward,” Newlen wrote in the afternoon email. “Please know how much we value your work and appreciate all that you continue to do for the Congress, the American people, and the institution.”

U.S. Executive and Legislative Branches Battle at the LoC, Publishers Weekly (13.05.2025)

Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25) hat eine Untersuchung angestrengt, um herauszufinden, ob bereits unberechtigterweise Daten, die nur der Legislative zustehen, an die Exekutive weitergereicht worden sind.

Today, Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, led a request to the Library of Congress Inspector General Kimberly Benoit seeking an investigation and continued monitoring of potential improper communications between the Library of Congress—a legislative branch agency—and the executive branch, including the possibility of the unauthorized transfer of congressional or Library data to executive branch agencies and personnel.

Quelle: Ranking Member Morelle Leads Request to Library of Congress Inspector General into Improper Communications, Potential Unauthorized Transfer of Congressional Data to Trump Administration, Committee on House Administration (12.05.2025)

Ein angesehener Senator der Republikaner fordert Trump heraus:

„We want to make sure congressional equities are respected and protected in this process,“ Thune told Politico on Monday. He notably did not answer follow-up questions about whether he viewed Trump as having the power to appoint an acting librarian who had not yet gone through the confirmation process.

Quelle: Top Senate Republican issues Trump an ultimatum, Alter Net (12.05.2025)

Andere Aktive ziehen sich leider resigniert zurück.

Perseverance has its limits. The erosion of these institutions’ integrity—and the growing realization that it is impossible  of fulfill their missions in good faith—has made the cost of continuing untenable. This is why I must step away from my work with two federal institutions I care deeply about. 

Quelle: Nelson, Alondra: Why I’m Resigning from Positions at the National Science Foundation and Library of Congress, Time.com (13.05.2025)

Dies ist eine bedauerliche Entscheidung, da es denen Macht gibt, die mit aller macht versuchen, Meinungsbildung und somit Meinungsfreiheit zu unterbinden, aber es ist auch verständlich, dass man sich bei aussichtslosen Unterfangen neu aufstellen muss und der Eigenschutz ein wichtiger Punkt bleibt.

Klare Worte findet derSchriftsteller George Saunders:

The firing of Dr. Hayden and the inane dissembling that followed represent a kind of diabolical Opposite Day phenomenon: An exceptional person is stupidly tossed aside, and to come up with an explanation the administration turns to its patented Random False Rationale Generator.

George Saunders: Shame on the White House, New York Times (13.05.2025)