President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday suddenly fired former second gentleman Doug Emhoff from the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of the president's effort to appoint more firmly pro-Israel people to the institution.
Emhoff, who is married to former Vice President Kamala Harris, was one of several board members appointed under Joe Biden's administration who were fired by Trump. Emhoff's sudden firing comes as a major humiliation to Harris. "Today, I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Let me be clear: Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized," Emhoff said in a statement posted on X.
Major Embarrassment for Harris
"To turn one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue is dangerous — and it dishonors the memory of six million Jews murdered by Nazis that this museum was created to preserve," Emhoff further wrote.
Emhoff, who is Jewish and previously served on Biden's White House task force addressing antisemitism following a sharp rise in incidents after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, was appointed to the museum board in January with a planned five-year term.
A White House official confirmed that several others were also recently fired from the Holocaust Museum board as well, including Ron Klain, former chief of staff to President Biden; Tom Perez, a past adviser in the Biden White House; Anthony Bernal, who advised former First Lady Jill Biden; and Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser under President Barack Obama.
The New York Times was the first to report on the firings.
No Concrete Reason Given for Firings
An email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, cited by the outlet, notified board members of their removal from their posts with the message: "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."
"Thank you for your service."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Post that President Trump has plans to fill the vacant board positions with people who demonstrate more unwavering support for Israel.
"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 the State of Israel," the White House press secretary said in a statement.
