Doug Emhoff, the former second gentleman and husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, has been removed from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by the Trump administration as part of a broader effort to reshape the museum’s leadership.

Emhoff, who is Jewish, was appointed to the council in January by the Biden administration for what was expected to be a five-year term. The council advises and helps oversee the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., a federally chartered institution established in 1993 to honor the memory of Holocaust victims and educate the public about the atrocities.

“Today, I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council,” Emhoff wrote in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter). “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.”

A number of other appointees from the Biden era were also dismissed, including former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former Labor Secretary Tom Perez, adviser Anthony Bernal, and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, according to a White House official.

The White House Presidential Personnel Office reportedly informed the affected members in a brief email that their roles were “terminated effective immediately.” The message concluded with a simple note: “Thank you for your service.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the removals, saying President Trump intends to appoint new council members who are “steadfast supporters of the State of Israel.”

“President Trump looks forward to appointing individuals who will not only continue to honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust but also stand strongly with Israel,” Leavitt stated.

The museum’s board traditionally includes bipartisan appointees serving staggered five-year terms. Emhoff had also served on the White House task force on antisemitism during the Biden administration, following a rise in antisemitic incidents after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

The shake-up has drawn criticism from some quarters for politicizing a historically nonpartisan institution dedicated to remembrance and education.