Trump ordered to reverse National Park changes after trying to ‘rewrite history with white-out pen’
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore sites changed under an executive order calling for the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks to not display elements that ‘inappropriately disparage Americans past or living’ (AFP via Getty Images)
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Trump administration to reinstate exhibits and displays at national museums, parks, and landmarks that were altered under an executive order.
US District Judge Angel Kelley criticized the administration’s actions, stating they aimed “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen” and presented “half-truths” by removing content that did not align with its preferred narrative.
The ruling mandates the restoration of sites changed under a Trump directive that sought to remove elements deemed to “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” and halts any further modifications.
Examples of altered exhibits include the removal of displays detailing the lives of enslaved individuals under George Washington at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, a sign with a Pride flag at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, and films on labor history at Lowell National Historical Park.
The injunction follows a February lawsuit by conservation and historical organizations, which alleged that National Park Service policies compelled staff to censor factually accurate historical and scientific information, including on slavery and climate change.
