Donald Trump claimed to 'reinstate' Columbus Day. SOURCE: MEGA
Donald Trump blasted “woke” Democrats, accusing them of tarnishing Christopher Columbus’ legacy.
He also declared that, unlike Joe Biden, he would not recognize Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day this October.
On Sunday, April 27, Trump issued a fiery statement: “I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.”
Posting on Truth Social, he accused Democrats of trying to destroy Christopher Columbus’ reputation and disrespecting the Italian community.
“They tore down his statues and replaced them with ‘WOKE’ nonsense — or nothing at all!” Trump wrote. “Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is making a major comeback. I am officially reinstating Columbus Day with the same rules, dates, and locations it had for decades!”
Several critics slammed Trump online for his focus on Columbus and his move to undermine Indigenous Peoples Day.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a screenshot of Trump’s statement, writing: “We told the truth about who Columbus really was. It’s not about Italians. He was a mass-murderer, thief, enslaver, torturer, and an incompetent governor who died penniless after being imprisoned.”
Another critic chimed in: “Trump’s ‘reinstating’ Columbus Day is a sham. It’s still a federal holiday. He’s just fueling culture wars and dodging real issues — classic move from a man who can’t lead, only divide.”
A third person pointed out: “Columbus Day never stopped being a federal holiday. People just choose not to celebrate it. Trump can’t force anyone to care.”
Former Democratic President Joe Biden was the first to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. In 2021, he issued a proclamation celebrating “the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples” and acknowledging “their inherent sovereignty.”
Biden’s proclamation highlighted that “America was conceived on a promise of equality and opportunity for all people.” However, he noted, “we have never fully lived up to that promise,” particularly in regards to respecting the rights and dignity of Indigenous people, who were here long before colonization.
Under Biden, the second Monday in October continued to be observed as Columbus Day but was also recognized as Indigenous Peoples Day.
Biden’s proclamation highlighted that “America was conceived on a promise of equality and opportunity for all people.” However, he noted, “we have never fully lived up to that promise,” particularly in regards to respecting the rights and dignity of Indigenous people, who were here long before colonization.
Under Biden, the second Monday in October continued to be observed as Columbus Day but was also recognized as Indigenous Peoples Day.
Trump has frequently criticized Democrats for removing statues of Christopher Columbus.
In 2017, he spoke out against the review of the 76-foot Columbus statue at New York’s Columbus Circle. This review had been ordered by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio.
During his first term, the Trump administration funded the restoration of a Columbus statue in Baltimore. The statue had been thrown into the harbor during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis.
