|
The statue is a replica of one that was tossed into Baltimore’s
harbor in 2020 during Trump's first term at a time of nationwide
protests against institutional racism.
Trump endorses a traditional view of Columbus as a leader of the
1492 mission seen as the unofficial beginning of European
colonization in the Americas and the development of the modern
economic and political order. But in recent years, Columbus also
has been recognized as a primary example of Western Europe’s
conquest of the New World, its resources and its native people.
“In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and
President Trump will ensure he's honored as such for generations
to come,” the White House posted on X.
“We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can
peacefully shine and be protected,” said John Pica, a Maryland
lobbyist and president of the Italian American Organizations
United, which owns the statue and agreed to loan it to the
federal government for placement at or near the White House.
The statue, made mostly of marble, was created by Will Hemsley,
a sculptor based in Centreville on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The original statue was toppled by protesters on July 4, 2020,
and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor after anger boiled over
following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. It
was one of many statues of Columbus that were vandalized around
the same time, with protesters saying the Italian explorer was
responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples
in the Americas.
In recent years, some people, institutions and government
entities have displaced Columbus Day with recognition of
Indigenous Peoples Day. President Joe Biden in 2021 became the
first U.S. president to mark Indigenous Peoples Day with a
proclamation.
Trump dismisses the shift on Columbus as “left-wing arsonists”
bending history and twisting Americans’ collective memory. “I’m
bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.,” he declared last
April. Echoing his 2024 campaign rhetoric, he complained that
“Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher
Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him
so much.”
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
