Updated October 12, 2026, 10:54 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump has declared an end to the “looting” of statues of explorer Christopher Columbus in new comments opposing criticism of the historical figure.
In an Oct. 11 Truth Social article celebrating Columbus Day, which occurs on Oct. 12 this year, Trump said Italian Americans were “forced to suffer” when Columbus statues were removed across the country in recent years. Critics of the explorer argued that paying homage to him glorified the exploitation and genocide of indigenous people.
“Radical left-wing Democrats, socialists and communists have ransacked our cities and towns, destroying almost every beautiful statue of Christopher Columbus. Well, those days of looting are over and the statues are back, more magnificent than ever,” Trump wrote.
Some cities and states have decided to celebrate the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, the federal holiday that has honored the explorer for more than a century.
While former President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation for Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021, Trump has pushed to refocus the day on Columbus since returning to office.
Here’s what Trump said about Columbus Day and why the day is controversial.
Trump says he “resurrected” Christopher Columbus
Trump’s latest message came days after he commemorated Columbus Day during an Oct. 9 event. There, the president attributed Italian-American support to his support of the Italian explorer.
“The reason I got all the Italian votes, I really believe – I didn’t do it for this reason – that I resurrected Christopher Columbus,” he said.
The president cited a new statue of Columbus erected on the White House grounds earlier this year. After protesters toppled a Columbus sculpture in Baltimore in 2020, authorities installed a 13-foot replica of the piece, made from fragments of the original sculpture, in March in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
“In this administration, we know that Christopher Columbus is a hero,” Trump said.
He also called for the return of a statue of Columbus that was removed from outside City Hall in Columbus, Ohio, in 2020.
Trump’s desire to organize Columbus Day is not new
Trump has argued for years that Columbus’ legacy is being mistreated.
“Unfortunately, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine the legacy of Christopher Columbus,” he said in a Columbus Day 2020 proclamation. “These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of his failures, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions.”
In April 2025, a few months into his second term, Trump declared that he was “bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes” in an article for Truth Social.
In another proclamation signed in October 2025, Trump wrote that Columbus “has been the prime target of a vicious and ruthless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack our heritage.”
Why is Columbus Day controversial?
Columbus Day is still considered a federal holiday, but some states and cities honor the day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead.
This campaign recognizes that Native Americans populated the country before the arrival of Columbus. It also recognizes the atrocities – including the devastating loss of life, tradition and land – that resulted from European contact with the Americas, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
In 2021, Biden became the first president to issue a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“For generations, federal policies have systematically sought to assimilate and displace Indigenous peoples and eradicate Indigenous cultures. Today, we recognize the resilience and strength of Indigenous peoples and the immeasurable positive impact they have had on every aspect of American society,” Biden wrote in the proclamation.
Contributors: Zac Anderson, Michelle Del Rey
Melina Khan is a national trends reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
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