A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to promptly reinstall an exhibit highlighting the lives of nine enslaved people held by George Washington, after it was removed from his former Philadelphia residence. The decision, issued on Presidents Day, requires the display to return to Independence National Historical Park while a legal challenge moves forward. The City of Philadelphia filed suit in January when the National Park Service took down the interpretive panels at the historic site, which housed George and Martha Washington — along with nine enslaved individuals — during the 1790s, when Philadelphia briefly served as the nation’s capital. The removal followed an executive order from President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to “restore truth and sanity to American history.” The order instructed the Interior Department to ensure that national parks, museums, and landmarks avoid content that could be seen as unfairly criticizing Americans, past or present. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe ruled Monday that the original exhibit materials must be fully restored as the court considers whether the administration acted lawfully. She also barred officials from installing any alternative display that presents a revised version of the history in question. In her written opinion, Rufe — appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush — opened with a reference to George Orwell’s novel 1984, likening the government’s position to the fictional “Ministry of Truth,” a regime that manipulates historical records to fit its agenda. Quoting the book’s phrase “Ignorance is Strength,” Rufe wrote that the court was being asked to decide whether the federal government has the authority “to dissemble and disassemble historical truths” when it controls historical sites. “It does not,” she concluded. During a January hearing, the judge had sharply criticized arguments from Justice Department attorneys, describing their claims that federal officials could selectively present aspects of American history as “dangerous” and “horrifying.” The Interior Department had not issued a public response to the ruling as of Monday, a federal holiday when government offices were closed#fyp #viral - @sacramentourbanmedia916