1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Protect the Library of Congress from Executive Overreach I am writing to express deep alarm over the firing of Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, and the Trump administration’s escalating attacks on legislative branch independence. Dr. Hayden—an accomplished and widely respected leader—was abruptly terminated nearly a year before the end of her 10-year term. Her removal was not only unjustified but appears to be part of a broader effort by the executive branch to exert illegal influence over a coequal branch of government. Since her dismissal, we’ve learned that: • The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may have attempted to access Library of Congress data, including confidential communications between Members of Congress and the Congressional Research Service. • Executive appointees without authorization tried to enter the Copyright Office. • Trump replaced Hayden with his own former defense attorney from his 2024 criminal trial, Todd Blanche—raising serious conflict-of-interest concerns. The Library of Congress belongs to the people and serves the legislative branch—not the President. Unauthorized access to data, directives to modify access protocols, and the bypassing of legal communication channels threaten our democracy and violate the foundational separation of powers. Congress must act now: • Publicly denounce this abuse of power. • Pass legislation protecting the Library of Congress from executive interference. • Fully support the Office of Inspector General’s investigation. We cannot allow this administration to dismantle yet another pillar of our democracy. Please defend the legislative branch and protect the independence of the Library of Congress.