National Portrait Gallery director steps down, weeks after Trump claimed he fired her

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Credit: Paul Morigi/AP Images for National Portrait Gallery

Kim Sajet speaks outside the National Portrait Gallery in 2022 (Paul Morigi/AP Images for National Portrait Gallery)

POLITICS

National Portrait Gallery director steps down, weeks after Trump claimed he fired her

According to the Smithsonian's Chief Spokesperson Linda St. Thomas, the director exiting the museum voluntarily.

Author: Ittai Sopher
Published: 12:26 AM EDT June 14, 2025
Updated: 12:26 AM EDT June 14, 2025

WASHINGTON — The director of the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian Museum in Chinatown known for its collection of official presidential portraits and depictions of pop culture and political icons, has stepped down after 12 years, an internal memo from the Smithsonian revealed Friday. The announcement coming two weeks after President Donald Trump claimed on social media that he had fired her

"This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one," Director Kim Sajet's message to her colleagues reads. "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."

Sajet's resignation comes as the museum director ended up in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's ongoing critiques of Washington's museums and cultural centers. The museum official resigned just two weeks after the president of the United States claimed to have fired her, calling Sajet "a highly partisan person," in May.

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