Controversial Confederate Statue Returns to Washington

Wed Oct 29 2025 18:27:51 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The statue of General Albert Pike returns to its former spot in Washington after being taken down during protests. The decision has sparked mixed reactions.

After being torn down and set ablaze during anti-racism protests in 2020, a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike has been reinstated in Washington, D.C. Following an executive order from President Trump, the National Park Service plans to restore this controversial monument, which has long been a symbol of division. Critics, including local lawmakers, have condemned the restoration as disrespectful, particularly to those who serve in the military. Pike, a contentious figure tied to both Freemasonry and allegations regarding the Ku Klux Klan, had his statue removed amidst widespread calls against Confederate symbols after George Floyd's death. The restoration process is ongoing, and the area remains closed off for historic preservation work.

Controversial Confederate Statue Returns to Washington

The statue of a Confederate general that was torn down and set on fire in 2020 during social justice protests in Washington has been reinstalled under orders from President Donald Trump.

General Albert Pike's statue has long been a source of controversy, as have many Confederate monuments across the US which were erected decades after the Civil War.

The National Park Service announced in August its plan to return the refurbished statue, after Trump signed an executive order called Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.

Democratic Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District of Columbia, called the restoration offensive to members of the military who serve honorably.

On Monday afternoon, videos showed the area surrounding Pike's statue in Washington with a sign that read Area closed. Historic preservation work in progress.

The restoration aligns with federal responsibilities under historic-preservation law and recent executive orders to beautify the nation’s capital and restore pre-existing statues, the National Park Service said in a statement.

The statue, which was built in 1901, has been a source of controversy for many years. Members of local government have been calling for its removal for decades.

Holmes Norton, a long-time critic, has introduced legislation to remove the Pike statue permanently multiple times, citing Pike's dishonorable service and misappropriation of funds during the Civil War.

Pike's statue was the only monument to a Confederate general in the nation's capital before it was pulled down in 2020.

His critics have accused him of being instrumental in the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, allegations that Masons insist don't hold up with historical evidence.

The plaque that previously labeled the statue read author, poet, scholar, soldier, jurist, orator, philanthropist and philosopher. Anti-racism protesters used ropes and chains to pull down the Pike statue following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, which prompted calls to address systemic racism.

Trump condemned the toppling on Twitter, writing, The DC police are not doing their job as they watched a statue be ripped down and burn. These people should be immediately arrested. A disgrace to our country. Floyd's death ignited a nationwide reckoning with racism, leading to more than 300 Confederate memorials taken down across the country.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has ordered the reinstallment of various Confederate statues and paintings, reigniting discussions around historical memory and representation.