Doug Emhoff, husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, ousted from the US Holocaust Memorial Council amid a broader reshuffle by Trump, condemns the move as politicizing Holocaust remembrance.
In a significant shakeup of the US Holocaust Memorial Council, Doug Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, has been removed from his position by President Donald Trump, who has begun replacing multiple Biden-era appointees on federal cultural boards, The Hill reported Tuesday.
Emhoff, who is Jewish and played a visible role in the Biden administration’s efforts to counter antisemitism, was one of several officials dismissed from the council this week.
The board, which oversees the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, includes over 50 members, many of whom are appointed directly by the sitting president.
“Today, I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council,” Emhoff said in a statement to The Hill. “Let me be clear: Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized. 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 emphasized his ongoing dedication to preserving Holocaust memory and fighting antisemitism, saying, “No divisive political decision will ever shake my commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education or to combatting hate and antisemitism. I will continue to speak out, to educate, and to fight hate in all its forms—because silence is never an option.”
A White House official confirmed that a number of council members have been dismissed, with the Trump team currently vetting candidates to fill those roles.
The Hill noted that other removed officials include former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, domestic policy advisor Susan Rice, and Anthony Bernal, who served as a senior advisor to former First Lady Jill Biden.
The museum has not yet commented on the staffing changes. The council includes appointees from the executive branch, as well as congressional representatives.
An email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office informed dismissed council members that their service was ending “effective immediately,” on behalf of President Trump
