A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore the slavery exhibits that the National Park Service removed from the President’s House last month.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe issued a ruling Monday requiring the federal government to “restore the President’s House Site to its physical status as of January 21, 2026,” which is the day before the exhibits were removed.
The order does not give the government a deadline for the restoration of the site. It does require that the National Park Service take steps to maintain the site and ensure the safety of the exhibits.
The exhibits, which memorialize the enslaved people who lived in George Washington’s Philadelphia home during his presidency, were abruptly removed in January.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration filed a federal lawsuit against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron, and their respective agencies, on the same day the exhibits were dismantled. The complaint argues that dismantling the exhibits was an “arbitrary and capricious” act that violated a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government.
Rufe, a George W. Bush appointee, called the federal government’s argument that a president can unilaterally change the exhibits displayed in national parks “horrifying” and “dangerous,” during a hearing last month. She ordered the federal government to ensure the panels’ safe keeping after an inspection and a visit to the President’s House earlier this month.
Monday’s ruling follows an updated injunction request from the city that asked for the full restoration of the site — not merely that the exhibits be maintained safely — and a brief from the federal government arguing that the National Parks Service has discretion over the exhibits and that the city’s lawsuit should be dismissed on procedural grounds.
This is a developing story and will be updated.