President Donald Trump announced eight new appointees to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum board via a social media post on Thursday night, replacing trustees previously appointed by former President Joe Biden. The new appointees include Betty Schwartz, Fred Marcus, Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz, Sid Rosenberg, Ariel Abergel, Barbara Feingold, Alex Witkoff, and Robert Garson. They fill vacancies created after Trump removed Biden's appointees, which included Doug Emhoff, Ron Klain, Tom Perez, Susan Rice, and Anthony Bernal, leaving the council with only 41 members instead of the typical 55 presidential appointees.
This move matters because it reflects the ongoing politicization of museum boards, particularly those of federal institutions like the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, which is tasked with preserving the memory of the Holocaust and educating the public. The board oversees museum policies, nationwide Days of Remembrance, and recommendations from the President's Commission on the Holocaust. The replacement of Biden appointees with Trump loyalists signals a shift in the museum's governance and could influence its educational and commemorative priorities.