'Not an easy decision': 'Fired' National Portrait Gallery director steps down

The director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, who was previously terminated by President Donald Trump and initially fought the firing, is now stepping down.

Last month, Trump alleged on social media that Kim Sajet was "a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position."

She rejected a 2016 painting of Trump by Julian Raven's from the National Portrait Gallery, ABC News reported at the time. The painting depicts Trump with an eagle holding an American flag, appearing to fly in space over the globe. The artist sued after the rejection and lost in court.

Politico reported Friday that Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III wrote in an email to employees reading, “We thank Kim for her service. Her decision to put the museum first is to be applauded and appreciated. I know this was not an easy decision. She put the needs of the Institution above her own, and for that we thank her."

The Smithsonian says on its website that it is a “trust instrumentality of the United States” that is not an executive branch agency but “enjoys the immunity of the United States from lawsuits, unless such suits are authorized by Congress under specific statutes."

The Board of Regents met on Monday, and a statement was released saying that it is "a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence, and we recognize that our institution can and must do more to further these foundational values."

Sajet was the first female director, and she's been leading it for 12 years, including during the first Trump term.

“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," she said in a statement to Politico.

Read the full report here.