Trump Administration to Display Statue of Founding Father Who Enslaved Dozens

The statue of Caesar Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an enslaver, will be installed in Washington, D.C. as part of the administration's commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 6:53pm

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The Trump administration plans to install a statue of Caesar Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who enslaved 200 people, in Washington, D.C. The statue was previously taken down in 2020 from its location in Wilmington, Delaware amid racial justice protests following the killing of George Floyd. The National Park Service will display the bronze statue of Rodney on horseback in Freedom Plaza for up to six months as part of the administration's commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.

Why it matters

The decision to display Rodney's statue, which was removed due to his history as an enslaver, is seen by civil rights advocates as a potential reversal of decades of social progress and part of the Trump administration's campaign against what it calls 'anti-American' ideology. The move highlights ongoing debates around how to acknowledge the complex legacies of America's founding figures.

The details

The National Park Service plans to install the bronze statue of the Delaware plantation owner on horseback in Washington, D.C., temporarily. It will remain in place for up to six months in Freedom Plaza, a federal park in downtown Washington, as part of the Trump administration's commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. Rodney's statue was taken down in 2020 from its location in Wilmington, Delaware, where it had stood for 97 years, amid racial justice protests following the killing of George Floyd.

  • The statue was taken down in 2020 from its location in Wilmington, Delaware.
  • The statue will be installed in Washington, D.C. for up to six months starting in 2026.

The players

Caesar Rodney

A signer of the Declaration of Independence who enslaved 200 people on his Delaware plantation.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who ordered the dismantling of slavery exhibits and restoration of Confederate statues as part of a campaign against what he calls 'anti-American' ideology.

National Park Service

The federal agency that plans to install the statue of Caesar Rodney in Washington, D.C.

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What’s next

The statue of Caesar Rodney will be installed in Washington, D.C.'s Freedom Plaza for up to six months starting in 2026 as part of the Trump administration's commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.

The takeaway

The decision to display the statue of Caesar Rodney, a founding father who enslaved dozens of people, highlights the ongoing debate around how to acknowledge the complex legacies of America's historical figures and the potential for such moves to be seen as a reversal of social progress.