“Trump is nothing but racist”: Martina Navratilova slams Donald Trump for removing slavery exhibits from U.S. national parks

Martina Navratilova spoke on Monday, September 16, 2025. She is an 18-time Grand Slam winner. She called U.S. President Donald Trump a “racist.” Her words came after reports from The Washington Post and Reuters. The reports said Trump signed an order in March 2025. The order tells national parks to remove exhibits about slavery. The policy is named “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” Navratilova wrote on social media, “Racist is as racist does.”The order was signed in March 2025. It directs the Interior Department to review park signs and exhibits. These include slavery, racism, women’s rights, LGBTQ history, and Indigenous struggles.One exhibit under review is a famous 1863 photo. The photo shows “Peter,” a man once enslaved, with scars across his back. It is displayed at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia. It is also at the President’s House site in Philadelphia.Navratilova did not stay silent. She said, “Trump is nothing but a full blown racist.” Then she added, “Racist is as racist does.”Her comments came after warnings from historians. Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, called it “an enormous increase in federal power.” He said it comes from the same team that says education should be local, not federal.The Washington Post confirmed the story. Four people familiar with the order said officials must remove all “corrosive ideology.” That means parts of history that show historic Americans in a bad light.Historians and civil rights leaders are alarmed. They say the order tries to “whitewash” history. They fear future generations will not learn the truth about slavery.The exhibits are evidence of pain and injustice. They show why people fought to change the country. Critics say removing them will hide the blood-soaked reality of America’s past.Also Read: Stephen A. Smith Opens First Take With Surprise Tribute After Molly Qerim’s Sudden Exit From ESPNTrump’s supporters defend the move. They say parks should also show America’s good side. They claim too much focus on dark history can divide people. Trump’s team says the goal is “truth and sanity.”But many experts disagree. They say the new rule risks removing facts, not protecting truth.Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 for his second term. This order is one of his most debated moves so far. The fight over what to show in parks is now spreading across Washington. Americans remain deeply divided on how their history should be told.