Fact Check: The U.S. Department of Interior is asking the public to report National Park Service employees for making disparaging remarks about Americans or failing to praise natural attributes, as part of an initiative stemming from President Donald Trump's executive order 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.'

Fact Check: "The U.S. Department of Interior is asking the public to report National Park Service employees for making disparaging remarks about Americans or failing to praise natural attributes, as part of an initiative stemming from President Donald Trump's executive order 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.'"

What We Know

The claim originates from a recent initiative by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which is indeed linked to President Trump's executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." This order, signed on March 27, 2025, emphasizes the need to present American history in a manner that celebrates its achievements and minimizes any content that could be perceived as disparaging towards Americans or their history (source-1).

Following this executive order, the National Park Service (NPS) was instructed to implement signage across its sites that encourages the public to provide feedback on any information they believe portrays American history or landscapes negatively. This initiative includes a mechanism for visitors to report instances where they feel that the narratives presented do not adequately emphasize the positive aspects of American history or natural beauty (source-3, source-5).

Analysis

The executive order itself does not explicitly instruct the public to report National Park Service employees for making disparaging remarks. Instead, it mandates that the NPS focus on removing content that "inappropriately disparages Americans past or living" and encourages public participation in identifying such content (source-1, source-2).

The leaked memo from the NPS indicates that signage will be posted to solicit feedback from visitors, which includes identifying content that may be viewed as negative or failing to highlight the beauty of natural features (source-3). Critics, including the National Parks Conservation Association, have expressed concerns that this could lead to a form of censorship or a revisionist approach to history that may overlook important narratives (source-6, source-8).

The sources providing this information vary in reliability. The executive order is an official document from the White House, making it a credible source. However, the interpretations and implications drawn from the NPS's actions come from media reports and advocacy groups, which may carry inherent biases based on their perspectives on the issue.

Conclusion

The claim is Partially True. While the Department of the Interior is indeed encouraging the public to report content that they perceive as negative regarding American history or landscapes, it does not explicitly instruct the public to report individual National Park Service employees for disparaging remarks. Instead, the focus is on gathering feedback to align with the broader goals of the executive order, which aims to present a more favorable view of American history. The potential implications of this initiative, however, raise valid concerns about historical accuracy and the narratives being promoted in national parks.

Sources

1. Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History
2. National Parks Are Told to Delete Content That '...
3. New National Park Service signage asks public to flag ...
4. [Not applicable]
5. Interior Department order calls for site reinstatement, removal of ...
6. National Park Service seeks informants to report ...
7. [Not applicable]
8. New Order Threatens Park Service's Efforts to Protect and Explore ...