The Trump administration has begun firing at least some of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s appointees to the board that oversees the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, including Douglas Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, and other senior Biden White House officials.
“Today, I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council,” Mr. Emhoff said in a statement on Tuesday. “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.”
Mr. Emhoff is Jewish and an outspoken critic of the rise in antisemitism. His appointment to the council was announced in January; presidential appointments are typically five-year terms.
The other officials who were dismissed include Ron Klain, Mr. Biden’s first chief of staff; Tom Perez, the former labor secretary and senior adviser to Mr. Biden; Susan Rice, the national security adviser to former President Barack Obama and Mr. Biden’s top domestic policy adviser who led a major national strategic effort to counter antisemitism; and Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser to Jill Biden, the former first lady. All of their appointments were announced in January.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement that “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 did not immediately respond to questions about how the administration defined what it meant to be a steadfast supporter of Israel, or what precipitated the firings.
“This action is deeply disappointing,” said former Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island who was appointed to the board by Mr. Biden in March 2024 and was dismissed on Tuesday. “The museum’s work has always been nonpartisan and should remain so. It is meant to challenge us all to think critically and clearly about our role in society, to confront antisemitism and all other forms of hate.”
The terminations came less than a week after the observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, and at a complicated time for many American Jews, some of whom worry that Mr. Trump is weaponizing genuine fears about antisemitism to suit his political purposes.
“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,” Mary Sprowls, who works in the White House Presidential Personnel Office, wrote in an email to officials on Tuesday morning. “Thank you for your service.”
Mr. Biden made many appointments to the council over the years, and it was not immediately clear how many others had been fired. Several appointees who had not worked in his White House said they had not received termination letters as of Tuesday afternoon.
While it is not surprising that Mr. Trump would look for any chance to remove senior Democrats from positions of influence, the moves underscore the extraordinary power he is exerting over traditionally apolitical institutions as he carries out a campaign of retribution.
“This is a sad day because our mission at the council has always been nonpartisan,” Mr. Perez said in a brief phone call.
In 2021, a spokesman for the museum suggested to CNN that the removal of council members by a new administration would be unprecedented. On Tuesday, the museum was more muted and made no mention of the firings in a statement, instead making an overture to the White House.
“At this time of high antisemitism and Holocaust distortion and denial, the museum is gratified that our visitation is robust and demand for Holocaust education is increasing,” the statement said. “We look forward to continuing to advance our vitally important mission as we work with the Trump administration.”
Jonathan Swan contributed reporting.
