The Library of Congress quietly removed two and a half sections of the U.S. Constitution from its website sometime after President Donald Trump dismissed the library’s longtime leader in May.
Recently, internet users noticed that parts of Article 1 were missing from the Library of Congress’ Constitution Annotated site: specifically, Sections 9 and 10, along with part of Section 8. Earlier this summer, the full Article 1 was still available on the site, according to internet archives.
On August 6, the Library of Congress attributed the disappearance of several Article 1 clauses to a website “coding error” and promised a swift fix. Yet, the timing of the removal and the specific provisions affected have fueled ongoing speculation and suspicion.
Article 1 of the Constitution defines the legislative branch and outlines Congress’s powers.
Section 9 limits Congress’s authority and includes a critical clause stating that Congress cannot suspend habeas corpus — the legal right that allows individuals in custody to challenge their detention in court — except in cases of “rebellion or invasion” when public safety requires it.
In May, Trump’s White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters the administration was “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus, according to PBS. This comes amid the government’s mass detention and deportation of immigrants. Without habeas corpus protections, the administration’s deportation efforts could proceed with fewer legal obstacles.
Another removed clause prohibits Congress from granting Americans titles of nobility, a safeguard designed to protect the U.S. government from foreign, particularly European, aristocratic influence.
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Since the start of his second term in January, President Trump has repeatedly referred to himself as a “king,” including through official White House social media channels. This rhetoric sparked widespread “No Kings” protests on June 14 — Trump’s 79th birthday — reflecting public concern over his perceived abuse of power.
Section 10 of Article 1, also removed from the website, limits the actions of U.S. states that might interfere with federal authority.
The Library of Congress update came soon after Trump fired Carla Hayden, the institution’s longtime Librarian of Congress, in May. Hayden had been appointed for a 10-year term by former President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2016 by a 74-18 vote.
Currently, there is disagreement over who is serving as the acting Librarian of Congress. After Hayden’s removal, Trump appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche — his former criminal lawyer — to the post. However, library staff recognize Robert Newlen, who was next in line, as the institution’s leader.
