Trump vows to bring Columbus Day back ‘from the ashes’
President Donald Trump has made a bold statement by vowing to bring back Columbus Day “from the ashes” and criticizing Democrats for their efforts to tarnish Christopher Columbus’ reputation. In a post on Truth Social, the former president declared, “I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes. The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
Trump went on to say, “They tore down his statues, and put up nothing but ‘WOKE,’ or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback. I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before.”
Christopher Columbus is widely credited with discovering the “New World” after embarking on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in search of a direct route from Europe to Asia. His arrival in the Americas inadvertently connected Europe to what would become North and South America.
However, Columbus’ legacy is marred by controversy surrounding his involvement in enslavement and colonization. In recent years, the Columbus Day holiday has faced increased scrutiny, with many advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ Day to be celebrated instead.
Numerous statues of Columbus have been removed, defaced, or destroyed in response to the ongoing debate over his historical significance. One such statue, an 8-foot-tall bronze monument in Richmond, Virginia, was uprooted by protesters in 2020 and eventually found a new home in a New York City suburb.
Images from the protests show demonstrators marching near the statue, calling for the removal of symbols that honor colonizers and instead pay respect to indigenous communities. Another statue of Columbus was pulled down, defaced with spray paint, and set on fire before being dragged to a nearby pond and submerged in water.
Despite these controversies, efforts have been made to preserve and relocate statues of Columbus. The nearly 100-year-old statue that was removed from Byrd Park in Richmond was eventually retrieved, restored, and relocated to the Rockland Sons of Italy Lodge in Blauvelt, New York.
In conclusion, the debate over Christopher Columbus and the celebration of Columbus Day continues to be a contentious issue. President Trump’s pledge to reinstate the holiday highlights the ongoing cultural and historical significance of this controversial figure.
