A federal judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Trump administration to restore interpretive materials, signs, and exhibits at national parks and landmarks nationwide that were removed or altered. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Massachusetts ruled that the administration’s efforts were intended “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen,” according to the court’s order. The judge ordered the government to reinstall the materials within 21 days, noting the deadline falls by the 250th anniversary of the United States. The ruling follows a February lawsuit filed by several conservation and historical organizations, including the National Parks Conservation Association and the Association of National Park Rangers. The plaintiffs argued that the Department of the Interior engaged in a “sustained campaign to erase history and undermine science” by removing factually accurate information regarding topics such as slavery and climate change. The lawsuit alleged these actions violated congressional mandates and lacked a reasoned explanation. The administration’s actions began with an executive order signed by President Trump in March 2025, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order directed the removal of elements that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” and targeted what the White House described as a “revisionist movement.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum subsequently directed the removal of “improper partisan ideology” from federal exhibits. While an Interior Department spokesperson previously stated the policy aimed to “tell the full and accurate story of American history,” Judge Kelley countered that the order served as an excuse to erase true history by removing exhibits that do not align with a preferred narrative. Specific removals cited in the reports include exhibits on enslaved people at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, a sign regarding basalt bubbles at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, and labor history films at Lowell National Historical Park. The judge also ordered the administration to provide weekly status reports on the progress of restoring these materials.