Mar 15, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Retiring U.S. archivist to White House: "You better not hire another white male"

Oriana González

Picture of U.S. Archivist David Ferriero — U.S. Archivist David Ferriero. Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images

U.S. National Archivist David Ferriero, who is retiring in April, said on Monday that he urged the White House not to appoint a white man to succeed him.

What he's saying: "That's advice I've given to the White House already: that you better not hire another white male ... We've had ten white males," Ferriero said during an annual Sunshine Week event when the moderator pointed out that there has never been a female national archivist.

When asked by the moderator if he was retiring by choice since there's no fixed term for the national archivist, Ferriero said he wants the Biden administration "to be the administration that replaces me."

Between the lines: Ferriero and the National Archives and Records Administration have been under the spotlight in recent months after the organization retrieved classified documents that former President Trump brought to Mar-a-Lago.

Go deeper: National Archives recovers classified documents from Trump

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Retiring U.S. archivist to White House: "You better not hire another white male"

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