The Trump administration recently made headlines by announcing the dismissal of Colleen Shogan, who held the esteemed position of Archivist of the United States. The surprising move was revealed on a Friday evening, with White House Director of Presidential Personnel Sergio Gor confirming the decision in a social media post. Gor stated, “At the direction of @realDonaldTrump, the Archivist of the United States has been dismissed tonight. We thank Colleen Shogan for her service.”
Shogan, who had been informed of President Trump’s intention to replace her, was caught off guard by the suddenness of her removal on that Friday evening. A source familiar with the situation disclosed that she was indeed shocked upon receiving the notification.
When approached for comment, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) deferred to the White House for an official statement. Shogan, appointed to her role by President Joe Biden in 2022, had the distinction of being the first woman to lead NARA as its head and chief administrator. Prior to her tenure, she had served as the senior vice president and director of the David M. Rubenstein Center at the White House Historical Association.
Having assumed the role of archivist in 2023, Shogan was absent from the National Archives when FBI agents conducted a search of President Trump’s residence in 2022 in pursuit of classified documents. The National Archives gained increased attention in recent times, particularly from Republicans, following the search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort as part of an inquiry into the handling of presidential documents, including those of a classified nature.
In response to the investigation, the Archives requested the Department of Justice to scrutinize Trump’s management of White House records. Trump, who had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the National Archives, indicated his plans to replace Shogan when he criticized the former archivist, David Ferriero, during a radio interview with Hugh Hewitt.
Trump’s goal to appoint a new archivist was made clear in his conversation with Hewitt. Shogan’s recent decision to block the Biden administration’s efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment was noted, citing legal, judicial, and procedural grounds. During Trump’s first term, his administration sought to dismiss a lawsuit that aimed to enshrine the ERA into law.
Shogan’s connections extended to first lady Melania Trump, as she had personally invited her to deliver a rare public address on citizenship at the National Archives in 2023. The two women had collaborated on various initiatives during Shogan’s time at the White House Historical Association and Melania Trump’s previous tenure as the first lady.
This detailed account has been updated to include additional information. For more news and newsletters from CNN, you can register an account at CNN.com.
