Ken Thomas

Well, the controversy really stems from this push by the Trump administration to basically clean house within the Library of Congress. As you mentioned, President Trump fired Carla Hayden. She has been the librarian of Congress for the last nine years. And then they also moved to remove some of her deputies as well, including the person who runs the U.S.

Well, the controversy really stems from this push by the Trump administration to basically clean house within the Library of Congress. As you mentioned, President Trump fired Carla Hayden. She has been the librarian of Congress for the last nine years. And then they also moved to remove some of her deputies as well, including the person who runs the U.S.

Copyright Office within the Library of Congress. Now, this has really touched a nerve with some members of Congress who would argue that this is an institution that serves us and it also serves the Supreme Court and that the president is trying to do what he's done in other agencies elsewhere.

Copyright Office within the Library of Congress. Now, this has really touched a nerve with some members of Congress who would argue that this is an institution that serves us and it also serves the Supreme Court and that the president is trying to do what he's done in other agencies elsewhere.

during the start of his administration, which is put in place his people and try to fundamentally change the institution.

during the start of his administration, which is put in place his people and try to fundamentally change the institution.

Well, this is the largest library in the world, and it has just a huge repository of information. And the fear that you hear from people who work inside the library and who have worked there previously is what happens if, say, a Doge-like operation has access to this information. One of the officials who was dismissed said,

Well, this is the largest library in the world, and it has just a huge repository of information. And the fear that you hear from people who work inside the library and who have worked there previously is what happens if, say, a Doge-like operation has access to this information. One of the officials who was dismissed said,

had a report that went out recently that talked about how AI might be able to use some of this data and what would be the consequences of that in terms of using copyrighted materials to train AI systems. And so there are members of Congress who say that it's not the right of the president to be able to fire the Librarian of Congress.

had a report that went out recently that talked about how AI might be able to use some of this data and what would be the consequences of that in terms of using copyrighted materials to train AI systems. And so there are members of Congress who say that it's not the right of the president to be able to fire the Librarian of Congress.

There's just a real fear among some in Congress that this is an attempt by the executive branch to run roughshod over the legislative branch.

There's just a real fear among some in Congress that this is an attempt by the executive branch to run roughshod over the legislative branch.

And the Congress should be the ones who have the power to handle this. So there's just a real fear among some in Congress that this is an attempt by the executive branch to run roughshod over the legislative branch. And Senator Alex Padilla of California told me it's the Library of Congress, not the Library of the President.

And the Congress should be the ones who have the power to handle this. So there's just a real fear among some in Congress that this is an attempt by the executive branch to run roughshod over the legislative branch. And Senator Alex Padilla of California told me it's the Library of Congress, not the Library of the President.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt was asked about this last week, and she said, look, it's within his rights to do this. They felt that Hayden did not fit the needs of the American people, as Leavitt put it. And their position is that President Trump can remove this person if he sees the need. So what we have here is a standoff, and we'll have to see which side backs down.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt was asked about this last week, and she said, look, it's within his rights to do this. They felt that Hayden did not fit the needs of the American people, as Leavitt put it. And their position is that President Trump can remove this person if he sees the need. So what we have here is a standoff, and we'll have to see which side backs down.

Does Congress ultimately allow this to happen, or is there pushback on a bipartisan basis?

Does Congress ultimately allow this to happen, or is there pushback on a bipartisan basis?

Thank you.

Thank you.