Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
4d ago

Army Rehangs Robert E. Lee Portrait at West Point as Academy Plans Bust Restoration

The decision reflects a Trump administration push to restore Confederate commemorations across the military.

FILE - Lee Barracks, named for Civil War General Robert E. Lee, is shown at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, July 13, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
FILE - A view of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Overview

  • Army officials say West Point has rehung Robert E. Lee’s portrait in the library and returned a Lee quote on honor to display beneath it.
  • The academy plans to reinstall a previously removed bust of Lee on campus in the near future, according to an Army spokesperson.
  • An Army statement contends federal law does not prohibit restoring Confederacy-related names, symbols, displays or monuments on military property.
  • The portrait and other Lee tributes were removed in 2022 to comply with a Defense Department directive carrying out a congressional commission’s recommendations.
  • The move aligns with President Trump’s March order to reinstate historical monuments and has drawn criticism from commission vice chair Ty Seidule, who says Lee’s image conflicts with West Point’s values.