The Trump administration has recently dismissed several appointees, primarily those linked to former President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, from the board that governs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Doug Emhoff, who gained attention merely because of his marriage to Harris, former Vice President, was particularly notable among those dismissed. Emhoff is recognized as the first Jewish spouse of a US president or vice president, a claim to fame touted by the Biden administration as an unprecedented fight against antisemitism.
It’s worth mentioning that Emhoff was among the 12 individuals Biden appointed in January to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the trustees board of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. These presidential appointees usually serve a term of five years, according to information available on the museum’s website.
On an ironic note, the Biden appointees were apprised of their sudden dismissals from the Council on Tuesday – the same day that marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi Germany’s Dachau concentration camp. Emhoff confirmed his cancellation, creating an atmosphere of melodrama by stating that ‘Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized.’
Emhoff further claimed that by heightening this issue, the memory of six million Jews, who were a victim of Nazi brutality that the museum stands to commemorate, is dishonored. Emhoff, who is only noteworthy due to his marriage to a vice-president and his great-grandparents’ escape from persecution from modern-day Poland in the 19th century, has thus attempted to spin this normal administrative activity into a political controversy.
While the White House, showing restraint, has kept mum about the reasons behind the termination of an unspecified number of board members, it has clarified that the Trump administration plans to induct new members. From the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, it was confirmed that 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 the State of Israel.’
The United States Holocaust Memorial Council convenes twice yearly and comprises of 55 members appointed by the president, five members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as three ex-officio members from the Departments of Education, Interior, and State.
Aside from Emhoff, the roster of terminated officials includes Ron Klain, Biden’s first chief of staff; Anthony Bernal, pinky advisor to former first lady Jill Biden; and Susan Rice, Biden’s former domestic policy adviser. Rice is noteworthy for having devised Biden’s national strategy for combating antisemitism.
Former Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, who had exited Congress in 2023 to head the Rhode Island Foundation, too confirmed about his termination. Cicilline expressed disappointment over these layoffs and argued for the nonpartisan nature of the Museum’s work, suggesting it should foster critical thinking around societal roles and confrontations against antisemitism and hate in its various manifestations.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which was assigned the role of official memorial to the Holocaust by Congress in 1980 and inaugurated in 1993, is committed to documenting and closely studying the extermination of European Jews during World War II.
As news of terminations spread, some current and former board members along with several Jewish community leaders, who have always espoused Democratic ideals, have voiced criticisms. These critics have opined that Trump’s actions would sabotage the institution’s ability to fulfill their mission.
For instance, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat who had secured a board appointment in 2021, framed these firings as ‘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.’ However, political biases often blur the actual line of duty, hampering objectivity.
Andrew Weinstein, an appointee of the former President Barack Obama, deemed the dismissals as ‘petty and vindictive.’ Similarly, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, made a demand for a ‘fulsome explanation for this decision and even a reconsideration.’
Since reinstating his administration, Trump has exerted his authority over various cultural institutions and their boards. In February, the Kennedy Center board saw the removal of Biden-appointed members, which understandably reflected a change in ruling dispensation.
In March, the Trump administration released an executive order aiming to erase ‘woke ideology’ from the Smithsonian Institution – a move that could have been interpreted as divisive or sensible, depending on the observer’s political leanings.
Earlier this week, Trump had made a bid to dismiss three out of the five board members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The rolling changes are unsurprising, considering it is a common practice for new administrations to align institutions with their visions.
The dismissals and appointments are typical occurrences whenever there is a change in leadership. While detractors may accuse the Trump administration of politicizing these changes, it could also be seen as part of the necessary adjustments needed to realign administrative objectives.