President Trump’s latest move is a masterclass in shaking up the status quo. On May 12, 2025, he tapped Todd Blanche, his former defense lawyer and deputy attorney general, to lead the Library of Congress as acting librarian. The decision has librarians clutching their card catalogs in dismay.
The New York Times reported that Trump’s appointment of Blanche replaced Carla Hayden, who was unceremoniously sacked the previous week, and sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill.
The move underscores a tense tug-of-war between the White House and Congress over who calls the shots at the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution.
Blanche, who defended Trump in his Manhattan criminal trial, isn’t exactly a dusty academic. His selection signals a shift toward loyalty over legacy, a hallmark of Trump’s governance style. The left-leaning library staff, predictably, didn’t roll out the welcome mat.
Library employees turned gatekeepers when two of Blanche’s chosen Justice Department officials showed up on May 12. Paul Perkins, tapped as acting register of copyrights, and Brian Nieves, slated as acting deputy librarian, were denied entry to the James Madison Memorial Building. A White House letter affirming Blanche’s authority wasn’t persuasive enough.
The officials arrived at 9 a.m., aiming to take charge of the U.S. Copyright Office. Instead, they faced a wall of defiance from staff who seemed to think they ran the show. This isn’t how you treat duly appointed officials, folks.
The standoff, brief but telling, unfolded across from the Capitol. It’s a microcosm of the broader power struggle between Trump’s executive audacity and Congress’s jealous grip on its turf. Someone needs to remind the librarians who’s in charge.
Trump didn’t stop at ousting Hayden. Over the weekend before May 12, he also fired Shira Perlmutter, the Copyright Office director. This double-barreled shake-up suggests a deliberate effort to clear out entrenched bureaucrats.
Perkins and Nieves, both Justice Department insiders, were meant to fill the gaps. Their roles were critical: Perkins to oversee copyrights, Nieves to back up Blanche. But the library’s gatekeepers had other plans, turning a routine transition into a spectacle.
The staff’s refusal to grant access wasn’t just petty—it was a direct challenge to Trump’s authority. Actions have consequences, and this defiance might cost the library more than a few bruised egos. Congress may claim oversight, but the president’s pen is mightier.
The Library of Congress, a 225-year-old institution, isn’t just a repository of dusty tomes. It’s a battleground where congressional prerogative and executive power collide. Trump’s bold move to install Blanche is a gauntlet thrown at lawmakers’ feet.
Blanche’s credentials as a loyalist are impeccable, but his library science chops are, shall we say, untested. Still, the role of the librarian isn’t about shelving books—it’s about steering a cultural juggernaut. Trump trusts Blanche to do just that.
The staff’s rebellion, though, reeks of woke resistance to change. Two anonymous sources, likely skulking in the stacks, spilled the details to reporters. Their need for anonymity only underscores the cowardice of this bureaucratic tantrum.
This clash isn’t just about who gets the corner office in the Madison Building. It’s about whether Trump can reshape federal institutions to reflect his vision. The Library of Congress, with its vast influence, is a prime target.
Congress will likely cry foul, claiming Trump overstepped his bounds. But the president’s authority to appoint acting officials is clear, and Blanche’s team should’ve been welcomed, not stonewalled. The left’s obsession with control is showing.