On Tuesday, the Trump administration removed former second gentleman Doug Emhoff and other Biden-era appointees from the board that controls the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, according to sources familiar with the situation.
“I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council,” Emhoff, who is Jewish, said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “Let me make it clear: Holocaust memory and education should never be politicized.
Turning one of history’s worst horrors into a wedge issue is hazardous, and it dishonors the legacy of the six million Jews slaughtered by Nazis, which this museum was established to preserve.
“No divisive political decision will ever shake my commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education, as well as combating hatred and antisemitism.” “I will continue to speak out, educate, and combat hate in all of its forms, because silence is never an option,” Emhoff continued.
Emhoff took on a more prominent role in combating antisemitism following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, saying CNN last year, “I know I have an obligation to our Jewish community as the first Jewish person in this role.”
Mary Sprowls, who works in the White House Presidential Personnel Office, notified several board members nominated by former President Joe Biden of their dismissal by email Tuesday.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council is terminated, effective immediately,” Sprowls said in an email that CNN received. “Thank you for your service.”
In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “President Trump looks forward to appointing new individuals who will not only continue to honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, but who are also steadfast supporters of Israel.”
Former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser to former first lady Jill Biden, Jennifer Klein, a former director of the White House Gender Policy Council, and Susan Rice, who served as Joe Biden’s domestic policy adviser and helped develop his administration’s antisemitism strategy, were among the other Biden appointees who were fired from the board, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Emhoff, Bernal, Klain, Klein, and Rice were appointed to the US Holocaust Memorial Council, the museum’s board of trustees, in January.
According to one board member, not all Biden-era appointments received emails informing them of their removal.
The dismissals were initially reported by The New York Times.
“At a time of high antisemitism, Holocaust distortion, and denial, the Museum is pleased that our attendance is strong and demand for Holocaust education is growing. We look forward to continuing to promote our critical mission as we collaborate with the Trump administration,” the museum said in a statement Tuesday.
Sen. Jacky Rosen, a council member, denounced the Trump administration’s removal of board members, calling it “an attempt to politicize an institution dedicated to remembering one of the worst atrocities in our history and hurts our efforts to educate future generations.”
“Spreading awareness and educating the American public about the horrors of the Holocaust cannot and should not be a political issue,” the Nevada Democrat stated.
