President Donald Trump is reported to be planning the installation of a Christopher Columbus statue on the south side of the White House grounds, three sources told the Washington Post.
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Reinstatement of the Christopher Columbus statue
According to the Washington Post, the Columbus statue, due to be installed outside the White House, will likely be a rebuilt version of a monument originally erected in Baltimore in 1984.
The statue was previously toppled into the city’s harbour in 2020 during racial justice protests. The statue was reconstructed with the help of the Italian-American community, backing and financial support from federal grant funding and is currently stored in Maryland.
According to one of the Italian-American businessmen who helped rebuild the sculpture, the statue is anticipated to be moved from a warehouse on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to the Trump administration.
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“Remember when you go to the voting booths, I reinstated Columbus Day”
Columbus is a polarising figure, hailed as a hero by some and criticised for his role in initiating centuries of violence and colonialism by others.
Trump has frequently presented himself as an ardent defender of a past he claims has been dishonored by “left-wing arsonists,” the Washington Post reported.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle has said that “in this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero.” He further added, “And he will continue to be honored as such by President Trump.”
Trump has taken measures such as reinstating Columbus Day, for which there was a push to replace it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day under the Biden Administration.
In October 2025, Trump signed the presidential proclamation recognizing Columbus as “the original American hero” and establishing the yearly holiday, something he had promised to implement during his 2024 campaign.
“The Italian people are very happy about it. Remember when you go to the voting booths, I reinstated Columbus Day,” Trump said.
He further said, “We’re back, Italians. Okay? We love the Italians.” The Washington Post reported that last month, Trump told reporters at the White House that this would help the Trump administration in the upcoming midterm elections.