A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore an exhibit at the former Philadelphia home of George Washington that details the enslaved people who lived and worked there, rebuking the administration’s attempt to downplay the first president’s connection to slavery. The ruling, issued Friday, follows a lawsuit filed by the City of Philadelphia after the National Park Service removed references to the nine enslaved individuals owned by Washington who resided at the President’s House site.
The dispute centers on the interpretation of historical exhibits at the site, which is managed jointly by the city and the federal government. According to the court’s ruling, the removal of the exhibit violated agreements governing the site’s curation. These agreements, initially established in the 1940s with Congressional legislation, stipulate that any significant changes to the exhibits require the consent of both the city and the National Park Service. A 2006 agreement, though expired in 2010, contained a “Survival Clause” ensuring that project development plans remained in effect, requiring mutual approval for alterations.
Judge Diana Motz, appointed by President George W. Bush, was sharply critical of the administration’s actions, stating in her ruling, “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.”
The Trump administration’s decision to remove the exhibit stemmed from a broader effort to reshape the narrative surrounding American history, particularly regarding the institution of slavery. The administration reportedly sought to minimize the focus on slavery at historical sites, a move critics characterized as a deliberate attempt to sanitize the past. The exhibit in Philadelphia specifically highlighted Washington’s practice of rotating enslaved people in and out of the President’s House, a tactic used to circumvent Pennsylvania laws that granted freedom to enslaved individuals after a period of continuous residence within the state.
The judge’s ruling underscored the legal constraints on the administration’s authority, emphasizing that federal agencies are bound by legislative mandates and agreements. “Defendants have completely ignored their legislatively imposed duties,” Motz wrote. “They have disregarded statutory authority, compelled by Congress, by taking unilateral action without seeking agreement from the City of Philadelphia. An agency, part of the Executive branch, is not entitled to act solely as it wishes. Rather, It’s the Legislative branch which authorizes agency action, and the Executive branch must comply with that direction.”
The City of Philadelphia hailed the decision as a victory for historical accuracy and accountability. Even as the ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration, it is expected to appeal the decision, potentially prolonging the legal battle over the exhibit’s content. As of Saturday, February 21, 2026, the administration has not issued a statement regarding its next steps, and the exhibit remains altered pending the outcome of any appeal.
