The Trump administration is reportedly set to review displays and descriptions at scores of parks and historic sites across the country after directing employees of the National Park Service (NPS) to flag materials that "inappropriately disparage Americans."
Such content includes signs about how climate change contributes to rising sea levels at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, exhibits on slavery at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, and language on the imprisonment of Native Americans at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, Florida.
Internal agency documents reviewed by The New York Times show that NPS staff identified plaques, films, and other visitor materials at 433 sites nationwide following President Donald Trump's executive order in March that called for them to showcase the "progress of the American people" and the "grandeur of the American landscape."
Parks workers had until last week to label potentially "inappropriate" content, according to the internal documents, and the Trump administration said it would remove the materials by Sept. 17. The public has also been requested to flag materials that could be changed or taken down.
In his executive order, the president also targeted the Smithsonian Institution for what he called "narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive."
Critics of Trump's push to promote a more positive view of American history caution that it could effectively erase problematic periods of time, as well as the contributions made by marginalized groups including women, people of color, and LGBTQ figures.
"The national parks were established to tell the American story, and we shouldn't just tell all the things that make us look wonderful," Dan Wenk, a former Yellowstone National Park superintendent, told the Times. "We have things in our history that we are not proud of anymore."
Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, told the newspaper that many NPS employees who disagree with the executive order are obeying it despite their personal feelings on the matter.
"Park staff are in a bind here," Brengel said. "If they don't comply with this directive, they could lose their jobs."
Elizabeth Peace, a spokeswoman for the Interior Department, said the directive from the Trump administration "is not about rewriting the past."
"Interpretive materials that disproportionately emphasize negative aspects of U.S. history or historical figures, without acknowledging broader context or national progress, can unintentionally distort understanding rather than enrich it," Peace said in a statement. "Our goal is to foster honest, respectful storytelling that educates visitors while honoring the complexity of our nation's shared journey."
Purging the federal government of "woke" historical interpretations that focus on racism or sexism has been hailed by several Republican lawmakers.
"Our monuments should celebrate our founders and tell the story of what makes America great, not push woke talking points to please radical activists," Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said in a statement.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.