Karoline Leavitt defends Trump firing Library of Congress boss - but there’s one problem

In US President Donald Trump’s latest move to take down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), it’s been revealed that the first female and non-white person to serve as the Librarian of Congress, Dr Carla Hayden, was sacked this week because she “did not fit the needs of the American people”.

When asked why Trump took the decision to fire Dr Hayden, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday: “We felt she did not fit the needs of the American people. There were quite concerning things that she had done at the Library of Congress in the pursuit of DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] and putting inappropriate books in the Library for children.

“We don’t believe that she was serving the interests of the American taxpayer well, so she has been removed from her position, as the president is well within his rights to do.”

Except, there's one problem...

The Library of Congress is a research library where books are studied on-site, not checked out to be read at home:

As such, Leavitt’s remarks have been slammed as “ridiculous”:

Another claimed there’s “not much for kids” in the Library “unless they want to read the Federal Register”:

The Library of Congress’ website states the site is “open to those ages 16 and older without charge or special permission”.

Some questioned if she knew what the Library – or the librarian - does:

Politicians have also criticised Dr Hayden’s firing by the Trump administration, with Rosa DeLauro, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, branding it a “direct attack on the independence of one of our most revered institutions”.

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