Trump fires National Portrait Gallery director

US President Donald Trump has announced on social media that he has fired the director of the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington DC.

In a post on his social media platform on Friday (30 May), Trump accused Sajet – who was born in Nigeria, raised in Australia and is a citizen of the Netherlands – of being “a strong supporter” of diversity initiatives, adding that she is “highly partisan”.

“Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am hereby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery,” the president wrote in the post.

“She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly,” he added.

According to The Guardian, legal experts have suggested Trump does not have the power to fire Sajet, since the gallery is part of the Smithsonian, which is not run by the executive branch of US government.