FIRST ON FOX: Trump admin transforms DC hotspot once rocked by George Floyd protests in symbolic reversal

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s Department of the Interior unveiled a new patriotic installation at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington, D.C., placing Revolutionary War figures at a site long associated with protests and encampments. 

“This exhibition featuring Caesar Rodney and the 12 Soldiers of the Revolutionary War is a powerful tribute to the patriots whose service and sacrifice helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today,” Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News Digital.

The installation pairs a statue of founding father Caesar Rodney with 12 bronze Revolutionary War soldiers, honoring patriots whose sacrifices helped found the nation. Freedom Plaza has frequently been the site of political protests, including when it was known as “tent city” during economic protests in 2011 and more recently as the staging area for protests during the violent summer of 2020, when riots broke out in cities nationwide following the death of George Floyd.

“As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, this exhibition is one of the many ways President Donald J. Trump is ensuring that the stories of the men and women who built this nation are preserved, honored and shared for generations to come,” said Burgum. “Our history is one of courage, opportunity and exceptionalism, and this exhibition helps bring that legacy to life for all Americans.”

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Caesar Rodney is best known for his overnight ride from Delaware to Philadelphia in July 1776, traveling nearly 80 miles through a storm to break a deadlock within Delaware’s delegation. His vote helped secure unanimous support among the colonies that cast votes for independence.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Freedom Plaza will offer visitors a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of Americans who fought to secure our independence nearly 250 years ago,” DOI official Matthew Middleton told Fox News Digital.

The 12 other soldiers represented are Simon Knowles, Caesar Glover, Joseph Warren, Jude Hall, Peter Muhlenberg, James Armistead Lafayette, Samuel Whittemore, Jack Sisson, James Caldwell, Peter Salem, Naphtali Daggett and Salem Poor.

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During the protests of 2020, a statue of Rodney in Wilmington was removed as monument debates over historical figures with ties to slavery intensified. The statue was moved to Freedom Plaza to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

Freedom Plaza has a storied history as a political protest hotspot in the nation’s capital. 

Occupy D.C. demonstrators set up at Freedom Plaza in October 2011, one of two major federal-property protest sites in the city, sparking many battles with the National Park Service.

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It became a gathering point during the 2020 George Floyd protests, with activists assembling there before marching through city streets. The riots and unrest in Washington were concentrated closer to the separate Lafayette Square and the later “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” which D.C. began dismantling in March 2025.

In 2020, demonstrations ripped through downtown D.C. outside the White House’s North Lawn, covering the areas of the Freedom Plaza and BLM Plaza.

Freedom Plaza was first established in 1980 and originally named Western Plaza. The site was renamed in 1988 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. It frequently served as an encampment site for the homeless until recent federal crackdowns under the Trump administration.

The plaza will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the exhibit’s installation, Fox News Digital has learned.

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