WASHINGTON (KXXV) — The Justice Department announced Monday that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who defended former President Donald Trump during his 2024 criminal trial, has been appointed acting librarian of Congress.
According to the Associated Press, Blanche replaces Carla Hayden, the longtime librarian dismissed by the White House last week after conservative criticism that she was promoting a “woke” agenda.
On the same day, two other Trump administration appointees — Brian Nieves and Paul Perkins — attempted to enter the Library of Congress’s Copyright Office without access badges, according to someone who knew the incident. The pair left voluntarily after a brief exchange with library officials and U.S. Capitol Police. Capitol Police said no one was barred from or escorted out of the building and referred questions to the Library of Congress.
Nieves, a senior aide in Blanche’s DOJ office, was named acting assistant librarian. Perkins, a longtime Justice Department attorney, is now acting register of copyrights, replacing Shira Perlmutter, who was removed over the weekend.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said lawmakers are reviewing whether the White House has authority to replace the librarian of Congress, a legislative branch role.“We want to ensure congressional equities are respected and protected in this process,” Thune said.
An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press from Robert Randolph Newlen, who briefly served as acting librarian, noted that Congress is “engaged” with the White House regarding the appointment and that the library has not yet received formal direction on how to proceed.
Senior House Democrats also voiced concerns Monday that data held by the Library of Congress — which houses a vast archive of books and historical records — may have been improperly shared with executive branch officials, including those at Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
