Court clears way for replacement of slavery exhibit at President's House in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA -- A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to immediately replace the slavery exhibit at the President's House on Philadelphia's Independence Mall.

Theappeals court ruled in Junethat the Trump administration has the authority to alter exhibits at the President's House site.

On Friday morning, the appeals court granted the Trump administration's motion seeking a mandate that would greenlight the immediate replacement of the slavery exhibit.

The City of Philadelphia immediately appealed, arguing that the court erred in granting the federal government's motion, which was filed on Thursday, without giving the city sufficient time to respond.

The exhibit tells the stories of nine enslaved people at the nation's first Executive Mansion, where President George Washington lived.

The city and advocacy groups have been fighting to keep the exhibit, accusing the Trump administration of whitewashing and censoring history.

The city had sued earlier this year, arguing that the administration did not have the right to remove panels from the historic site.

A district court judge initially sided with the city, but the appeals court reversed that decision.

The appeals court determined that the President's House falls under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, not the city.