The city of Philadelphia has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration following the removal of a memorial honoring people enslaved by George Washington at the President’s House site, a national historic landmark near Independence Hall.
City Alleges Agreement Was Violated
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, names the National Park Service (NPS), the Department of the Interior, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and NPS Acting Director Jessica Bowron as defendants.
Philadelphia argues that the removal of the exhibit panels — which told the stories of nine enslaved individuals who lived and labored at the President’s House — violated a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government. That agreement outlined the terms for the exhibit’s design and construction, which opened to the public in 2010.
According to the complaint, NPS removed the panels without prior notice or consultation, despite the city’s shared authority to approve the exhibit’s final design.
Claims of Arbitrary Federal Action
City attorneys contend that the sudden removal was “arbitrary and capricious” and not in accordance with federal law. The lawsuit argues that the city’s right to approve the original exhibit would be rendered meaningless if NPS could later alter or dismantle it unilaterally.
The complaint also alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, which requires federal agencies to publish proposed changes and allow for public comment before taking significant action.
Executive Order Cited by Interior Department
The Department of the Interior has defended the removal, stating it was done to comply with President Donald Trump’s March 27, 2025 executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order directs federal agencies to remove what it describes as “divisive, race-centered ideology” from museums and cultural institutions.
An Interior Department spokesperson said all interpretive materials are being reviewed to ensure alignment with “shared national values,” adding that the National Park Service acted appropriately under the directive. The spokesperson also criticized Philadelphia for filing what they called a “frivolous lawsuit.”
Mayor Responds, City Seeks Restoration
Mayor Cherelle Parker addressed the lawsuit during a Friday press conference, emphasizing that the 2006 agreement requires both parties to meet and confer before any exhibit changes are made. She said the city will continue updating the public as the case moves forward.
Philadelphia is seeking a court order to restore the slavery memorial, along with preliminary and permanent injunctions to prevent further changes to the President’s House exhibit.
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