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The Trump administration has implemented a significant shake-up by terminating several members of the US Holocaust Memorial Council who were appointed by President Joe Biden. Among those dismissed is Doug Emhoff, the spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Emhoff criticized this action, labeling it a political maneuver that transforms “one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue.” He reported being informed of his removal from the council, which is responsible for overseeing the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and various Holocaust commemorations.
“Let me be clear: Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized,” Emhoff stated in a public statement. “To turn one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue is dangerous – and it dishonors the memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis, which this museum was established to honor.”
As a Jewish individual and a prominent advocate against antisemitism during the Biden administration, Emhoff expressed his commitment to continue speaking out against hate in all its forms. “No divisive political decision will ever shake my commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education or to combating hate and antisemitism,” he added.
This statement comes just a day before Harris is scheduled to deliver her first major address since exiting office in January, where she is expected to provide a pointed critique of the Trump administration in San Francisco.
Additionally, reports indicate that the Trump administration dismissed other notable Biden appointees to the council, including former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former UN ambassador Susan Rice, former deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, former labor secretary Tom Perez, former ambassador to Spain and Andorra Alan Solomont, and Mary Zients, spouse of former White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, as noted by Jewish Insider.
Anthony Bernal, a former senior adviser to Jill Biden, was also among those terminated from the council, according to a report from the New York Times reported.
Most of those let go had been appointed just a few months earlier in January, following standard procedures that typically allow for a five-year term for council members.
Solomont recounted that he received notification of his dismissal via an email from a staffer at the White House presidential personnel office, which stated, “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.”
The email did not provide a rationale for the dismissals, and the White House has yet to respond to inquiries for clarification.
In response to the situation, a statement from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum emphasized the ongoing threat of antisemitism, stating, “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.”
They concluded by expressing optimism for collaboration, saying, “We look forward to continuing to advance our vitally important mission as we work with the Trump Administration.”
Source
www.theguardian.com