Trump’s use of the Holocaust Memorial Council for political retribution
Yesterday, President Trump selectively fired members of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council appointed by President Biden. Never before have members of the Museum Council been removed by a president, and never before has the Holocaust Museum been used by a president in such a grossly political way.
Members of the Holocaust Museum Council have a solemn obligation to education, tolerance, and preserving the memory of the six million Jewish lives lost. This is not a partisan or political role, yet, as with everything else, President Trump is using the Council for purposes of political retribution.
Since its establishment in 1993, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has promoted tolerance, preserved the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, and educated the public about the darkest moments of history to ensure the promise of “never again.”
Yesterday’s action by President Trump demonstrates an egregious disregard for the mission of the Museum and a willingness to use Holocaust remembrance and education for political retribution. As Americans who care deeply about preserving the memory of the six million Jewish lives lost, we are outraged by Donald Trump’s actions.
We will continue to voice our opposition to Donald Trump’s use of Jewish Americans for his political agenda and his use of Holocaust remembrance for political retribution.
In solidarity,
Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America