Trump Administration Appeals Order to Restore George Washington Slavery Exhibit in Philadelphia

Federal judge rules government cannot 'dissemble and disassemble historical truths' at National Park Service sites.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Trump administration has filed an appeal with the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a federal judge ordered the restoration of exhibits at a Philadelphia historical site that highlighted the nine people enslaved by George Washington at his former home on Independence Mall. The judge had compared the administration's actions to the 'Ministry of Truth' in George Orwell's '1984', saying the government does not have the power to revise historical facts.

Why it matters

The dispute over the Philadelphia exhibit is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration quietly removing content about the history of enslaved people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and Native Americans at various National Park Service properties across the country. This raises concerns about the government's role in shaping the public's understanding of American history.

The details

Last month, National Park Service workers abruptly removed exhibits from the Philadelphia historical site that focused on the nine people enslaved by George Washington at his former home. The city of Philadelphia and other supporters of the exhibit then sued the administration. On Monday, U.S. Senior Judge Cynthia M. Rufe, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, granted an injunction ordering the materials to be restored while the lawsuit proceeds and barring the Trump officials from creating new interpretations of the site's history.

  • On February 18, 2026, the Trump administration filed a notice of appeal with the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • On February 15, 2026, Judge Rufe ordered the restoration of the exhibits at the Philadelphia historical site.

The players

Trump administration

The administration of former President Donald Trump, which is appealing the judge's order to restore the exhibits on George Washington's enslaved workers at the Philadelphia historical site.

U.S. Senior Judge Cynthia M. Rufe

A federal judge appointed by Republican President George W. Bush who ordered the restoration of the exhibits and barred the Trump administration from revising the historical interpretations at the site.

City of Philadelphia

The city that sued the Trump administration along with other supporters of the exhibit highlighting the history of George Washington's enslaved workers.

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What they’re saying

“As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's 1984 now existed, with its motto 'Ignorance is Strength,' this Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims — to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts. It does not.”

— Judge Cynthia M. Rufe, U.S. Senior Judge

What’s next

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will now consider the Trump administration's appeal of the judge's order to restore the exhibits on George Washington's enslaved workers at the Philadelphia historical site.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing debate over how the government should approach the complex and often painful history of slavery in America. The Trump administration's efforts to remove or revise exhibits on this topic at National Park Service properties raise concerns about the politicization of historical narratives and the importance of preserving factual accounts of the past.