JD Vance's true feelings over Donald Trump laid bare with brutal four-word warning - EUROPE SAYS
JD Vance showed his true feelings about Donald Trump by backing the president’s demand to remove the National Portrait Gallery director with a strict four-word warning. The vice president reportedly delivered. . .
JD Vance showed his true feelings about Donald Trump by backing the president’s demand to remove the National Portrait Gallery director with a strict four-word warning. The vice president reportedly delivered the stark message to Smithsonian regents as they debated Donald Trump’s attempt to remove National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet, warning them: “You cannot refuse him. ”The extraordinary exchange is detailed in the new book Regime Change, written by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, which claims the vice president urged members of the Smithsonian Institution’s governing board to fall in line with the president’s wishes during a tense meeting in Washington. Itcomes as as sources say Donald Trump has been pointing out several of the vice president’s weak spots to allies. READ MORE:Donald Trump issues CNN’s Jake Tapper four-word warning over IranREAD MORE:Melania Trump’s two-word reprimand to Donald as tense moment exposed by lip readerThe dispute centred on Trump’s bid to oust Sajet, whom he publicly branded a “highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI”. Although Trump announced on May 30 that he had fired her, the Smithsonian’s leadership insisted staffing decisions rested with the institution rather than the White House. According to Regime Change, the Board of Regents gathered on June 9 in a large meeting room at the National Museum of American History after dining the previous evening at the Museum of Asian Art. U. S. President Donald Trump and U. S. Vice President JD Vance -Credit:Getty ImagesVance reportedly told those present that Trump’s instructions were clear and that the board needed to carry them out. He spent several minutes pressing the point, warning: “You cannot refuse him. ” Stressing the president’s authority, he added bluntly: “He signs the checks. ”The authors claim that Vance also defended the administration’s position by telling the meeting: “This should be an institution for everyone. I am not demanding we hire someone with right-wing political views. I am merely asking that we not make the face of this institution a left-wing crazy person. ”The book describes how several regents resisted the pressure, arguing that personnel decisions should be made by the board rather than dictated by the White House. They reportedly wanted the matter reviewed under the Smithsonian’s long-established governance procedures. President Trump And VP Vance -Credit:GettyThat position was later reflected in a public statement from the Board of Regents, which reaffirmed that “all personnel decisions are made by and subject to the direction of the secretary, with oversight by the board”, without mentioning Sajet or Trump by name. The standoff ultimately ended when Sajet resigned just two weeks after Trump first claimed to have dismissed her. In an internal email obtained by multiple outlets, Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch praised her decision, writing: “We thank Kim for her service. Her decision to put the museum first is to be applauded and appreciated. I know this was not an easy decision. She put the needs of the Institution above her own, and for that we thank her. ”He added: “We are grateful to Kim for leading the National Portrait Gallery with passion and creativity for 12 years. Throughout her tenure, she has reimagined and reshaped the impact and storytelling of portraiture. ”Kim Sajet -Credit:The Washington Post via Getty ImagesSajet, who became the gallery’s first female director when she was appointed in 2013, also reflected on her departure, saying it had been “the honor of a lifetime to lead the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. ”Kevin Gover, the Smithsonian’s undersecretary for museums and culture, has since taken over as acting director of the National Portrait Gallery. Tags:James David Vancejd vancevancevice presidentVP