The National Park Service (NPS) has announced plans to restore a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, which was toppled and set on fire during social justice protests in 2020. The bronze statue is scheduled for restoration and reinstallation by October.
In 2020, protesters used rope and chains to topple the statue, which was erected in Judiciary Square in 1901. President Donald Trump had tweeted about the incident, calling for the statue’s removal, but requested its reinstatement later.
The NPS has cited federal preservation laws and executive orders from President Trump as reasons for restoring the statue. This move follows recent efforts to sanitize and rewrite American history under the Trump administration, which includes removing or editing content related to slavery and marginalized groups.
Critics argue that Confederate statues should be removed from public spaces, citing their association with white supremacy and historical injustices. DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has announced plans to reintroduce a bill to remove the statue, stating that it “is as odd and indefensible as it is morally objectionable.”
The Pike statue’s history is complex, with some accusing him of being a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. The Masons who commissioned the statue dispute this connection. Despite the controversy, the NPS has chosen to restore the statue, sparking ongoing debate about its place in public spaces and American history.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/trump-confederate-statue-albert-pike