Confederate statues in DC area to be reinstalled under Trump executive order
Confederate statues in DC area to be reinstalled
Two Confederate monuments in the D.C. area are set to return, sparking renewed controversy over how the country commemorates its past.
WASHINGTON - Two Confederate monuments in the D.C. area are set to return, sparking renewed controversy over how the country commemorates its past.
What we know:
The National Park Service confirmed this week that the statue of Albert Pike—a Confederate general and prominent Freemason—will be reinstalled in Judiciary Square this fall. The monument was pulled down by protesters on Juneteenth 2020, during nationwide demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd.
In a separate announcement Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed plans for a Confederate statue to return to Arlington National Cemetery. The statue, known as "The Reconciliation Monument", was removed in 2023 following recommendations from an independent commission tasked with renaming military assets tied to the Confederacy.
Both moves align with a March executive order from President Donald Trump, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order called for the restoration of historical statues and displays that had been removed in recent years, criticizing what it described as efforts to "rewrite history" and "deepen societal divides."
Dig deeper:
Pike’s statue, originally erected in 1901, has long stirred controversy. The D.C. Council first called for its removal in 1992. More recently, Congressional representative Eleanor Holmes Norton has voiced strong opposition to its reinstatement. In a statement Monday, she called the decision "odd and indefensible," pledging to introduce legislation to permanently remove the statue and relocate it to a museum.
"I’ve long believed Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts," Norton said, "not remain in parks and locations that imply honor."
Pike’s statue was the only Confederate military figure honored with an outdoor statue in the District.
The Arlington statue—also known as the Reconciliation Monument—was first unveiled in 1914. In a social media post on Tuesday, Hegseth criticized the original removal of the statue, saying, "It never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don’t believe in erasing American history—we honor it."
A National Park Service spokesperson said the Pike restoration is slated for October. No timeline has been provided for the return of the Reconciliation Monument.