Trump Is Trying to Control Congress by Taking Over Its Library

Since the start of his second term, President Donald Trump has been trying to stamp out independence in the executive branch by either taking over, paralyzing or dismantling federal agencies that were designed to operate without direct control from the White House.

Over the past few days, Trump escalated this campaign beyond the executive branch by firing the head of the Library of Congress (LOC) — which is part of the legislative branch — and the top official at the U.S. Copyright Office, which is part of the LOC. 

Trump’s firing of Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to be librarian of Congress, marked the first time in U.S. history that a librarian of Congress was dismissed. Trump selected Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, one of his personal attorneys during his 2024 hush money trial, as acting librarian of Congress, but it’s unclear if he had the authority to do so.

Though the president nominates a librarian, they must be confirmed by the Senate. And while the Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows the president to fill vacant positions in the government, the act generally only applies to openings within the executive branch. It’s even less clear if Trump had the authority to fire the register of copyrights, who is a legislative branch employee appointed by the librarian of Congress. 

Blanche has selected two other top Department of Justice (DOJ) officials for senior positions in the LOC, including one to serve as the new register of copyrights. However, when Blanche’s designees tried to enter the LOC earlier this week, staff members refused to give them access without Congressional approval, the New York Times reported.

In selecting Blanche, Trump may be trying to assert that the LOC is part of the executive branch, the consequences of which would be immense.

The LOC is much more than just the world’s largest library. It plays a crucial role in the economy by administering copyright law through the Copyright Office. It’s also foundational to U.S. governance through the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

Acting as the research arm of Congress, the CRS gives lawmakers confidential, apolitical information — including legal advice — to help them make informed policy decisions.

If Trump’s allies can control the CRS, they’ll likely gain access to all inquiries lawmakers have made to the service over the past several decades, and may be able to control what information is given to lawmakers through future inquiries.

Trump’s attempted takeover of the LOC may also be a test case to see how susceptible congressional Republicans are to his power grab. If they let him install ideologues throughout the LOC, maybe they’d let him do the same to other indispensable legislative entities.

These could include the Government Accountability Office, which in part ensures that government funds are spent effectively and efficiently, or the Congressional Budget Office, which provides objective analysis on economic and budgetary matters.

So far, a few Republican leaders have indicated that they want to maintain Congress’ control over the library.

“We made it clear that there needs to be a consultation around this — that there are equities that both Article I and Article II branches have [with] the Library of Congress,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.) said this week, the Washington Post reported.

House Democrats, led by House Administration Committee Ranking Member Rep. Joseph Morelle (N.Y.), asked the LOC’s inspector general to probe if Trump officials have attempted to access LOC data, including lawmakers’ communications with the CRS.

While Trump is attempting to take over legislative branch entities, a law firm co-founded by his senior White House aide Stephen Miller is attempting to pull judicial branch organizations into the executive branch.

America First Legal sued Chief Justice John Roberts and others in late April, claiming that two key judicial branch bodies that frame policy and handle the basic functions of the federal courts are executive branch agencies. 

The scheme is unlikely to succeed, but it’s another example of the Trump administration’s attempts to subvert the separation of powers to subjugate the other branches of government to the executive.