Trump's National Park History Review Backfires as Visitors Criticize Effort

The Trump administration's 2025 request for national park visitors to report displays with 'negative' historical content was met with widespread backlash, according to an AP analysis of 35,000 public comments released via a Sierra Club lawsuit. Over half the comments criticized the effort itself, with many calling it 'un-American' or likening it to fascism. The order, issued by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, targeted 'inappropriate content' that failed to emphasize America's beauty and achievements, following a Trump directive on 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.' Save Our Signs, a watchdog group, documented at least 59 signs removed or modified, including references to slavery, climate change, and Native American history. Notable changes occurred at Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, where exhibits on nine enslaved people under George Washington were removed, then partially restored under a judge's order. Other affected sites include Acadia National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Virgin Islands National Park. The administration has been vague about changes made, with an Interior spokesperson stating that flagged materials often remain unchanged. The comments, submitted from June 2025 to January 2026, represent a small fraction of the 323 million annual park visits, but reveal strong public opposition to historical revisionism.