President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to bring back monuments linked to America’s painful racial history while erasing exhibits that highlight systemic oppression. The White House is calling it a mission to “restore truth and sanity” to the nation’s historical institutions—but critics say it’s an outright attempt to rewrite the past.
The sweeping directive targets federal museums, the Smithsonian, and even the National Zoo, mandating the removal of exhibits that discuss racism or celebrate the transgender rights movement. According to the order, the previous administration’s approach to history was “divisive” and “falsely reconstrued America’s promotion of liberty as fundamentally flawed.”
Perhaps most strikingly, the order demands the restoration of statues and monuments that were removed or altered during the nationwide racial justice protests of 2020—many of which honored Confederate generals and pro-slavery figures. The Secretary of the Interior has been tasked with bringing back these controversial landmarks, claiming their removal was part of a “false revision of history.”
During the racial reckoning sparked by the murder of George Floyd, statues celebrating individuals who upheld racist policies were defaced, toppled, or moved to museums for historical context. The Biden administration had supported these removals, arguing they belonged in educational institutions rather than public squares.
Trump, however, has now taken a hardline stance to undo those changes, issuing more than 100 executive orders in just two months—far outpacing his predecessors. His latest move is already fueling intense debate over how the nation chooses to remember its past. Will this rewrite history, or restore it? The battle over America’s identity is far from over.
