Federal judge orders Trump Administration to return slavery exhibits

(CNN, KYMA) - A federal judge has ordered the Trump Administration to return a long-standing exhibit on slavery that it had removed from a historical museum in Philadelphia.

Last month, workers removed large display panels at the President's House site, where Presidents George Washington and John Adams once lived.

In a lawsuit, the city claimed the government was required to consult with the city before making any changes to the exhibit at independence national historical park.

Judge Cynthia Rufe chided the government's action, using references from the George Orwell novel "1984" several times.

She said the administration was acting as if a dystopian world currently existed, with its motto, "Ignorance is strength."

The judge also said Congress passed legislation that specifically limited the authority of the Interior Department to "unilaterally alter or control the park."

The White House and Interior Department were contacted for comment, and it is unclear if the Trump Administration will appeal Monday's ruling.