Lawsuit Alleges Trump Administration Erased History and Science at National Parks

Conservation and historical groups sue over policies that removed exhibits on slavery, civil rights, and climate change.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A coalition of conservation and historical organizations has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over National Park Service policies that they say have forced the removal or censorship of exhibits sharing factually accurate U.S. history and scientific knowledge, including information about slavery, civil rights, Indigenous peoples, and climate change. The lawsuit alleges the changes were made in response to a Trump executive order and Interior Department directives to remove "improper partisan ideology" from public exhibits.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights growing concerns about the politicization of public historical and scientific information, with critics arguing that the Trump administration's actions amount to censorship that undermines the educational mission of national parks. The case also raises questions about the appropriate balance between historical accuracy and political sensitivities in how America's history is presented to the public.

The details

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition including the National Parks Conservation Association, American Association for State and Local History, Association of National Park Rangers, and Union of Concerned Scientists. It alleges that the park service has flagged for removal interpretive materials describing key moments in the civil rights movement, the history of slavery, and the impact of climate change. For example, exhibits have been removed at the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, and the Grand Canyon National Park.

  • In February 2026, the lawsuit was filed in Boston.
  • In February 2026, a federal judge ordered the restoration of an exhibit about enslaved people at George Washington's former home in Philadelphia.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president whose executive order directed the Interior Department to ensure national park exhibits do not "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living."

Doug Burgum

The former Interior Secretary who directed the removal of "improper partisan ideology" from public exhibits under federal control.

National Parks Conservation Association

A conservation organization that is part of the coalition that filed the lawsuit.

Cynthia Rufe

The federal judge who ordered the restoration of an exhibit about enslaved people at George Washington's former home in Philadelphia.

Skye Perryman

The president and CEO of Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization that filed the lawsuit on behalf of the advocacy groups.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Censoring science and erasing America's history at national parks are direct threats to everything these amazing places, and our country, stand for.”

— Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources, National Parks Conservation Association

“You cannot tell the story of America without recognizing both the beauty and the tragedy of our history.”

— Skye Perryman, President and CEO, Democracy Forward

What’s next

The Department of the Interior has appealed the court's ruling to restore the exhibit about enslaved people at George Washington's former home in Philadelphia.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate over how to accurately and sensitively present America's complex history in national parks and other public spaces, with critics arguing the Trump administration's actions amount to censorship that undermines the educational mission of these sites.