Trump administration appeals judge's ruling over President's House slavery exhibits [View all]

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Updated Feb. 17, 2026, 7:16 p.m. ET | Published Feb. 17, 2026, 4:40 p.m. ET


The Trump administration has appealed a federal judge’s order requiring that the National Park Service restore all the slavery-related exhibits it abruptly removed last month from the President’s House Site in Center City. The U.S. attorneys representing the federal government argued previously that the White House has full discretion over the exhibits in national parks, an argument U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe called “dangerous” and “horrifying” during last month’s hearing.

The notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this stage does not require a brief arguing what the government says the judge got wrong when she issued the injunction. But the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service said in a statement Tuesday that the agencies “disagree” with the injunction.

“The National Park Service routinely updates exhibits across the park system to ensure historical accuracy and completeness,” the statement said. “If not for this unnecessary judicial intervention, updated interpretive materials providing a fuller account of the history of slavery at Independence Hall would have been installed in the coming days.”

Neither agency responded to a request for more information on the plan for alternative panels. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/presidents-house-donald-trump-philadelphia-lawsuit-injunction-slavery-20260217.html

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DOI had this statement (quote from OP article and here - https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/slavery-exhibits-presidents-house-site-philadelphia-orders/)



The radio report I heard this morning had the reporter make a remark about whether the Department of Interior was somehow confusing "Independence Hall" (in general) with "The President's House", which are 2 different sites a block apart.

Regardless, the lie about updating "interpretive materials" was their typical fall back when caught and getting blowback.