A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction Friday ordering the Trump administration to restore exhibits at national parks that were removed as part of a review of historical content and interpretive displays.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley, appointed to the bench by former President Joe Biden in 2021, ruled that the administration must reverse the changes while legal proceedings continue. The decision emerges amid the nation’s America 250 celebration, scheduled to conclude with Independence Day events on July 4.
The Executive Order
President Trump signed an executive order on March 27, 2025, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” directing the Interior Department to review exhibits at national parks and monuments. The order instructed federal agencies to ensure government descriptions do not “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” while emphasizing “the greatness” of America.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum characterized the removed content as “improper partisan ideology” in a statement. The administration stated it was reviewing options to appeal the judge’s decision.
The Court’s Reasoning
Judge Kelley wrote in her ruling that the administration’s actions were intended “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.” She directed the administration to submit weekly status reports to the court detailing progress in restoring the exhibits and other affected materials.
“Under the guise of promoting American dignity, this administration seeks to share a limited history by ordering the removal of all signs, displays, and interpretive exhibits at National Parks that do not align with its preferred narrative,” Kelley wrote.
The Administration’s Response
The Interior Department called Kelley a “liberal activist judge” in a statement to Fox News Digital. An Interior spokesperson said the agency was evaluating its legal options following the preliminary injunction.
The administration maintained that museums and parks should be “places where individuals go to learn – not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history,” according to language in Trump’s executive order.
This story has been updated. CNN’s staff contributed to this report.
