Trump dismisses head of the National Archives
Share and Follow


President Donald Trump dismissed the head of the National Archives, a White House official said Friday night, following through on a vow last month to change the leadership atop the agency, which was involved in the criminal case that had accused Trump of mishandling classified documents.

White House director of presidential personnel Sergio Gor said on X that national archivist Colleen Shogan was dismissed Friday night at Trump’s direction.

“At the direction of @realDonaldTrump the Archivist of the United States has been dismissed tonight. We thank Colleen Shogan for her service,” Gor wrote.

Gor did not indicate who would take over Shogan’s position.

The National Archives did not provide a response when asked about Shogan’s dismissal, instead referring NBC News to the White House for comment. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

A post from a LinkedIn account seemingly belonging to Shogan acknowledged the termination.

“This evening, President Trump fired me. No cause or reason was cited. It has been an honor serving as the 11th Archivist of the United States. I have zero regrets – I absolutely did my best every day for the National Archives and the American people,” the post said.

Trump said in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last month that he intended to fire Shogan, saying: “We will have a new archivist.”

The National Archives played a key role in the criminal case against Trump, alerting the Justice Department in 2022 that Trump had potentially mishandled classified documents after the president failed to return records that the agency had requested, something presidents are required to do after departing office.

Shogan, who became national archivist in May 2023, was not leading the agency at the time of its involvement in the case.

Trump eventually returned some of the records but kept others, and investigators said they obtained security video in July 2022 showing Trump’s aides moving boxes of classified documents. The FBI later opened a criminal investigation into Trump, searching his Mar-a-Lago residence and finding 11 additional sets of documents. 

Trump, who was the first former president charged with federal crimes, pleaded not guilty to any wrongdoing. 

The Trump-appointed federal judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case last year, arguing the DOJ’s special counsel Jack Smith had been unconstitutionally appointed. Smith appealed the dismissal but wound down the case following Trump’s election last year due to the Justice Department’s longstanding practice not to prosecute sitting presidents.

Since taking office last month, the Trump administration has dismissed a number of officials who have been involved in investigations against the president, firing several Justice Department career lawyers and senior FBI officials. Two groups of FBI agents who participated in investigations against him sued the DOJ on Tuesday, alleging a survey they were instructed to fill out about their roles was instead used to identify targets for dismissal.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Two killed in northern Israel terror attacks involving ramming, stabbing

Tragic Terror Strikes Northern Israel: Deadly Ramming and Stabbing Leave Two Dead

In a tragic series of terror attacks in northern Israel on Friday,…
Montana couple give away $21.6M ranch in real-life Yellowstone move

Montana’s Unbelievable Generosity: Couple Gifts $21.6M Ranch in True Yellowstone Spirit

In an extraordinary gesture of generosity and foresight, a Montana cattleman and…
Layoff announcements top 1.1 million, most since 2020 pandemic

Job Cuts Surge to Highest Levels Since 2020: Over 1.1 Million Positions Affected

According to recent data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, U.S. employers have…
Trump calls on DOJ to 'release all names' in Epstein files

Trump Urges DOJ to Disclose Complete List of Names in Epstein Files

Donald Trump has urged his Department of Justice to “release all names”…
Google rolls out new feature allowing users to change their Gmail addresses. Here's what to know.

Google Introduces Innovative Feature Enabling Gmail Address Changes: Key Details Unveiled

Google is poised to delight many of its users with a long-anticipated…
Repeat offender freed after SWAT standoff tied to three shootings in one month: report

Repeat Offender Released After Intense SWAT Standoff Linked to Multiple Shootings

A repeat offender from Texas has been apprehended once more, this time…
Times Square to hold second ball drop in July to mark America's 250th birthday

Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with a Special July Ball Drop in Times Square!

In a nod to revolutionary history, the organizers behind the iconic Times…
Times Square to feature patriotic ball drop for New Year's Eve, kicking off US's 250th birthday in NYC

Times Square to Host Patriotic Ball Drop for New Year’s Eve, Launching America’s 250th Anniversary Celebrations in NYC

NEW YORK — As New Year’s Eve descends upon New York City,…