Top Senate Republican issues Trump an ultimatum

12 May

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), flanked by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), holds his weekly press conference following the Republican caucus policy luncheon at Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump's sudden firing of the Librarian of Congress has ruffled feathers among lawmakers in both parties — including the leader of the Senate Republican Conference.

That's according to a Monday article in Politico, which reported that an ongoing feud over who will lead the vaunted institution has now spilled over into the highest echelons of the legislative branch. After Trump abruptly removed librarian Carla Hayden from the post (after being appointed to a 10-year term in 2016 by former President Barack Obama), he named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting librarian of Congress. But Politico reported that current acting librarian Robert Randolph Newlen did not recognize Blanche's appointment as legitimate and refused to step aside.

"Congress is engaged with the White House and we have not received direction from Congress about how to move forward," Newlen told staff in a Monday email.

While presidents appoint the librarian of Congress, they still cannot officially begin their terms until confirmed by the Senate. And on Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is now sending a subtle message to the White House to butt out of the ongoing feud.

"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.

After Hayden was fired as librarian of Congress, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump dismissed her for allowing inappropriate books to be lent out to children. However, critics pointed out that the general public is not allowed to check books out of the Library of Congress, and that publishers have to send a copy of every new book to the Library of Congress for posterity. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) is calling for an inspector general's investigation into Hayden's firing.

"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," Morelle wrote in a recent letter.

Click here to read Politico's full report.

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