Smithsonian affirms independence after Trump says he fired the head of the National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian tried to affirm his autonomy of external influences in a statement on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he dismissed the Head of the Kim Saet National Portrait Gallery for being a “very partisan person.”

The institution, which is the The biggest in the world The Museum, the Education and Investigation Complex, sent the statement after a meeting of the Regent Board on Monday with Vice President JD Vance and the president of the United States Supreme Court John Roberts, according to a document that Smithsonian sent to ABC News on Monday.

The meetings of the Regent Board are held at least four times a year. Vance and Roberts are ex officio members, which means they act in advice roles.

“All personnel decisions are made and are subject to the direction of the secretary, with the supervision of the Board,” said Smithsonian in his statement. “Lonnie G. Bunch, the Secretary, has the support of the Board of Regents in its authority and management of Smithsonian.”

The panel is also composed of senators designated by the president, including Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI); Representatives selected by the President of the Chamber, including representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Rep. Carlos Giménez (R-FL); and nine regents citizens, according to a document that Smithsonian sent to ABC News on Monday.

The Smithsonian statement occurs after Trump’s announcement on May 30 on social networks that said goodbye to Sajet, the director of the National Gallery of Portraits of Smithsonian. He described Sajet as “a very partisan person and a great defender of Dei, who is totally inappropriate for his position.”

Sajet rejected Trump’s painting 2016 by artist Julian Raven for submission in the National Portrait Gallery, according to a statement from a Smithsonian spokesman on Tuesday. She is still informing to work in the portrait gallery, said the spokesman.

“While the vast majority of our content is based on a meticulous investigation and a reflexive analysis of history and facts, we recognize that sometimes part of our work has not been aligned with our institutional values ​​of erudition, impartiality and non -partisan.

“Our institution must be a place where people feel inspired and challenged, but most importantly, they feel welcome … as always, we thank the president and congress for their constant commitment to the Smithsonian and for preserving it for our visitors and our country.”

The museum also seemed to address the concerns of the Trump administration about the partial and staff of the institution in its statement on Monday.

“To reinforce our non -partisan stature, the Regent Board has ordered the Secretary to articulate specific expectations to the directors of museums and the staff about the content in the Smithsonian museums, provide the directors for a reasonable time to make any necessary change to guarantee the impartial content, and to inform the Board about the progress and any change of personnel necessary based on the success or lack of the lack. He said Monday in his statement in his Monday statement.

The Museum did not answer the ABC News questions regarding the deadlines for the directors of the museum to make changes and inform the Board, and the Vice President’s office did not immediately answer a request for a statement.

Trump signed an executive order last month by placing Vance in charge of supervising the efforts to “eliminate the inadequate ideology” of all areas of the Smithsonian and specific funds for programs that advance “divisive narratives” and “inadequate ideology”, according to the Associated press.

The president also said goodbye to members of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Board of Trustees of the Performing Arts and settled as president of the institution in February.

Kyra Phillips from ABC News, April Williams, Molly Nagle and Lalee contributed to this story.