Trump Ends Indigenous Peoples Recognition on Columbus Day/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump announced that Columbus Day will once again solely celebrate Christopher Columbus, ending the dual recognition with Indigenous Peoples Day established by President Biden. Trump criticized Democrats for diminishing Columbus’ legacy. The move is part of his broader effort to emphasize traditional American symbols.
Trump Declares Columbus Day Will Remain Columbus Day: Quick Looks
- Trump ends recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day.
- Criticizes Democrats for “destroying” Columbus’ legacy.
- Columbus Day remains federally recognized on second Monday in October.
- Biden first recognized Indigenous Peoples Day by proclamation in 2021.
- Trump frames move as restoring traditional American values.
- Columbus never landed in the continental U.S., only in Puerto Rico.
- Italian-American pride historically tied to Columbus celebrations.
- Trump has a history of defending Columbus monuments and statues.
Trump Ends Indigenous Peoples Recognition on Columbus Day
Deep Look
Trump Declares Sole Recognition for Columbus Day, Ending Indigenous Peoples Day Acknowledgement
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Columbus Day will be recognized exclusively as a celebration of Christopher Columbus, ending the practice begun under President Joe Biden of also honoring Indigenous Peoples Day.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, “I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,” accusing Democrats of trying to “destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
The decision marks a symbolic shift in how the United States observes the second Monday in October. Under Biden, while Columbus Day remained a federal holiday, a proclamation each year also recognized Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrating the contributions and resilience of Native American communities and acknowledging the historical injustices they suffered.
Biden’s 2021 proclamation stated that while the United States was founded on principles of equality and opportunity, those ideals had not always been upheld, especially regarding Indigenous peoples. His recognition aimed to highlight the history and sovereignty of Native Americans who lived on the land long before European colonization.
Trump’s Push to Restore Traditional Icons
Trump’s announcement reflects his ongoing campaign to restore what he describes as traditional American icons and narratives. Throughout his presidency and 2024 campaign, Trump has sharply criticized efforts to reframe U.S. history through lenses of diversity, colonization, and systemic injustice.
Ironically, the holiday Trump seeks to “restore” was itself created in part to recognize America’s growing ethnic diversity. Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, never landed on the North American mainland but became a revered figure among Italian-Americans. His voyages were increasingly celebrated as Italian immigrants sought social acceptance in the United States.
Following the 1891 lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in New Orleans, President Benjamin Harrison promoted the first nationwide Columbus Day celebration. Later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1934.
Columbus and Controversy
Columbus’ legacy has become increasingly contested. Critics point to his role in opening the Americas to European conquest and the ensuing exploitation and devastation of Indigenous populations. Activists have long pushed to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day to better reflect these historical realities.
Trump has consistently opposed such efforts. In 2017, he publicly denounced former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to review the massive Columbus statue at Columbus Circle, which remains standing today.
Following the 2020 protests against systemic racism, Trump’s administration even funded the restoration of a Columbus statue in Baltimore after it was toppled into the harbor.
Sunday’s announcement is a continuation of Trump’s broader political message emphasizing the preservation of traditional symbols against what he describes as leftist efforts to rewrite American history.
Cultural and Political Implications
The renewed focus on Columbus Day taps into ongoing cultural debates about national identity, historical memory, and inclusion. For many Italian-Americans, Columbus remains a symbol of ethnic pride and perseverance. For many Indigenous Americans and their allies, celebrating Columbus without acknowledgment of Indigenous suffering is seen as a denial of historical truth.
As Trump gears up for the upcoming election season, the move reinforces his appeal to voters who prioritize patriotic traditions and resist cultural shifts they perceive as undermining historical American values.
Columbus Day will continue to be celebrated on the second Monday of October, but under Trump’s administration, it will solely commemorate Christopher Columbus—without the dual recognition for Indigenous Peoples.
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