President Donald Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on Thursday as the White House continues to purge the federal government of those perceived to oppose the president and its agenda.

The dismissal was disclosed in statements from three top House Democrats and confirmed by a separate person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity before it was made public.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Hayden was "callously fired" by Trump and demanded an explanation from the administration as to why.

"Dr. Hayden's tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to accessibility, modernization, and the democratization of knowledge," DeLauro said in a statement. "Her dismissal is not just an affront to her historic service but a direct attack on the independence of one of our most revered institutions."