A sign posted on the doors of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum early last week read “due to an Executive Order concerning a ‘reduction in force (RIF),’ the JFK Library and Museum will be closed to the public until further notice.”
Former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, the grand-nephew of President Kennedy, said the library received a call from the National Archives on Tuesday morning. The National Archives informed the library that all probationary employees would be laid off immediately. The action came after President Donald Trump’s executive order last week, which directed federal agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees. This move would affect thousands of workers, leaving them to find a way to stay afloat amidst economic hardship.
Trump has argued that the federal workforce is “bloated” and filled with “unnecessary” employees; however, the federal workforce has remained largely unchanged over the past decades. So, why is the president now pushing to shrink government services, especially when this was never considered a problem before? It seems like a targeted effort against programs that are difficult for him to politically justify. When administrations begin shutting down libraries in the name of “efficiency,” there is cause for concern.
The JFK Library was able to reopen the next day, but the brief closure serves as a reminder that institutions, even apolitical ones like libraries, are vulnerable to political attacks. Efforts to cut or close libraries have often been seen during depressive points in history.
Trump’s administration has already caused significant shake-ups at the National Archives and Records Administration, the agency responsible for overseeing presidential libraries. NARA has been involved in ongoing legal battles to obtain presidential records from Trump, culminating in a search of Mar-a-Lago by the FBI in August 2022.
The recent mass layoffs and their impact on the JFK Library highlight the risks of a thoughtless approach to personnel decisions. The JFK Library is one of Boston’s most popular educational destinations, serving as a testament to the legacy of Kennedy. But now, the library’s core functions — such as visitor relations, ticket sales and tour management — are at risk due to being short-staffed.
The closure of the Library serves as a reminder that the Trump administration is willing to risk the legacies that define our country because of political games.
As Kennedy once said, “This country cannot afford to be materially rich and spiritually poor.” Trump’s executive order serves as a stark reminder of what could happen if Americans allow themselves to become intellectually bankrupt.
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