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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UK Leaders, Allies Condemn Trump’s Remarks on NATO’s Role in Afghanistan
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince Harry are among several international figures criticizing President Donald Trump after he downplayed the role NATO allies played during the war in Afghanistan.
Prince Harry Defends Allied Sacrifice
Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan as a British Army captain, issued a strong rebuke following Trump’s remarks. He emphasized that NATO invoked Article 5 — its collective defense clause — for the first and only time after the Sept. 11 attacks, and that U.S. allies responded.
“I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there,” Harry said, noting that 457 British service members were killed during the conflict. He added that thousands of families across allied nations continue to carry the cost of the war.
Harry said the sacrifices of NATO troops deserve to be discussed “truthfully and with respect.”
Trump Minimizes NATO Contributions
Trump’s comments came during a Fox News interview in Davos, Switzerland, amid renewed tensions with NATO over his push to acquire Greenland. In the interview, Trump claimed the U.S. did not need its allies in Afghanistan.
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and they did,” Trump said. “They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
The White House defended the president’s remarks, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stating that the U.S. has contributed more to NATO than all other alliance members combined.
Casualties Across the Alliance
More than 3,500 NATO troops were killed during the Afghanistan war, according to data compiled by icasualties.org. While nearly 2,500 of those deaths were U.S. troops, several allies suffered significant losses relative to their population size.
Britain lost 457 troops, Denmark lost 44, and Poland also reported 44 fatalities during the conflict.
Starmer Calls Comments ‘Appalling’
Prime Minister Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “insulting and frankly, appalling,” saying they caused pain to the families of those killed or injured.
“I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice that they made for their country,” Starmer said while honoring British service members.
Poland, Others Push Back
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also criticized Trump, recalling a 2011 farewell ceremony for fallen Polish soldiers in Afghanistan. Tusk said American officers at the time vowed Poland’s sacrifices would not be forgotten.
Trump has recently questioned whether NATO allies would defend the U.S. in a future conflict, despite their military support following the 9/11 attacks.
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.