As the Trump administration continues to implement anti-diversity policies and whitewash American history, it appears that this campaign has spread overseas. One historian on social media has highlighted the administration’s removal of a European monument honoring Black soldiers who fought in World War II.

Plaques honoring Black soldiers removed from American cemetery in the Netherlands

Newsweek, referencing coverage from Dutch-language media, reported that plaques honoring Black soldiers who fought for the United States during World War II were removed from the Netherlands American Cemetery, a U.S. military cemetery in Margraten, near the city of Maastricht. Over 8,000 Americans, including 174 Black soldiers, are buried at the site. Two panels commemorating Black soldiers were added to the cemetery in 2024 at the urging of Shefali Razdan Duggal, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands at the time. However, these panels were removed “earlier this summer,” according to the Black Liberators research project. One of the removed panels discussed the segregated conditions under which Black soldiers served during World War II; the other highlighted George H. Pruitt, who died in Germany at age 23 while attempting to rescue another soldier.

Conservative U.S. think tank complaints preceded removal

Social media user @ChrisO_wiki, self-described as an “independent military history author and researcher,” brought attention to the change on social media.

In a series of posts that have gained over 1 million views, ChrisO_wiki noted, “The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.”

1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. pic.twitter.com/1ot3vXEVOw— ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) November 9, 2025

Dutch News confirmed that the right-wing Heritage Foundation complained earlier this year that the American Battle Monuments Commission violated President Donald Trump’s anti-diversity orders, and the commemorative plaques were subsequently removed. Most of the 15 political parties in Limburg province, where the cemetery is located, have signed a letter requesting a temporary or permanent replacement for the removed panels.

Trump and the Heritage Foundation push a right-wing agenda

The removal of the panels from the American military cemetery is in line with the policies of the Trump administration. Since returning to the White House, Trump has issued executive orders banning or curtailing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Among other impacts, the orders have been followed by the removal or censorship of information relating to Black history at various parks and museums, as well as the censorship of Black history in the U.S. military. The Heritage Foundation, meanwhile, is the influential conservative think tank that has long impacted Republican policies and is responsible for Project 2025, a massive plan to restructure the U.S. government and society. Despite previously claiming to know nothing about the plan, Trump has since implemented much of Project 2025 after returning to office in January.

Now, it seems that the reach of the Heritage Foundation and the Trump administration’s anti-diversity efforts has extended to Europe. With the administration and its conservative supporters continuing their efforts to whitewash American history, Dutch media and politicians are taking up the cause of remembering Black soldiers who served and died for the United States during World War II.
The post U.S. Government Quietly Removes Memorial For Black Soldiers From Dutch Cemetery appeared first on Blavity.



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