U.S. President Donald J. Trump has made a bold move by removing Doug Emhoff, husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, from the board of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
Since beginning his second term in January 2025, President Trump has made it clear that he will not tolerate the influence of figures tied to the Democratic administration in key institutions.
Doug Emhoff, who was appointed to the museum’s board by President Biden in 2022, was among the first to be dismissed. Alongside him, other high-profile former officials—including Ron Klain, former White House Chief of Staff; Susan Rice, former domestic policy advisor; and an aide to former First Lady Jill Biden—were also removed.
The White House notified these dismissals via email, stating: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, your position as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council has ended, effective immediately.”
The Holocaust Museum’s board, established by Congress in 1980, oversees an institution that has preserved the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis since opening its doors in 1993. Of its 68 members, 55 are presidential appointees, giving the White House considerable influence over its composition.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained, “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 staunch supporters of the State of Israel.”
This statement highlights a key priority of the Trump administration: strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance amid rising global tensions.
Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish and led anti-antisemitism initiatives during the Biden administration, responded on Instagram by stating that “the memory and education of the Holocaust must never be politicized.”
He added that turning this tragedy into a “divisive issue” is dangerous and dishonors the victims.
However, this appears to be an attempt to deflect from his own controversial record. While serving on the board, Emhoff was criticized for making factual errors about basic aspects of Judaism, such as the origin of Hanukkah, raising questions about his suitability for the role.
Moreover, the Biden-Harris administration faced backlash for its lukewarm stance toward Israel following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Emhoff’s removal is not merely an administrative change, but a course correction in response to policies that weakened U.S. support for Israel and allowed antisemitism to spread on college campuses.
In contrast, President Trump has made combating antisemitism a priority in his first 100 days, launching investigations into universities such as Harvard over alleged discrimination.
In the case of the Holocaust Museum, the White House seeks to ensure that new board members reflect the administration’s values—including unwavering support for Israel. Among those removed was also Alan Solomont, former U.S. Ambassador to Spain, further expanding the scope of this purge of Biden-era figures.
This move sends a clear message: no one, regardless of their ties to figures like Kamala Harris, is above accountability.
The White House is already preparing new appointments, which are expected to reflect a stronger stance on both foreign policy and historical memory.
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