President Donald Trump has fired former second gentleman Doug Emhoff from the board that oversees the Holocaust Museum.
“Today, I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council," Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a vice president, said in a statement Tuesday.
"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," he said.
The firing was first reported by The New York Times, which said that in addition to Emhoff, other high-profile board members appointed by President Joe Biden had also been terminated, including former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and Susan Rice, who was Biden's domestic policy chief.
Presidential appointments are supposed to be for five years, according to the museum's website.
A White House official confirmed the firings.
Emhoff said he would keep speaking out.
“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,” he said.
In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “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.”
Asked for comment on the firings, the museum issued a statement that did not address them.
"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. We look forward to continuing to advance our vitally important mission as we work with the Trump Administration," it said.
