The proposed monument would honor the explorer and replace a statue destroyed during 2020 unrest, according to reports.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump is planning to install a statue of Christopher Columbus on the south grounds of the White House, according to sources cited by the Washington Post.
The statue would be a reconstructed version of a Columbus monument originally unveiled during the Reagan administration in Baltimore, Maryland, before it was toppled and thrown into the harbor during Black Lives Matter riots in 2020, the Post reported. Bill Martin, an Italian American businessman who assisted in recovering and rebuilding the statue, said the sculpture is currently stored in a Maryland warehouse and is expected to be transferred to the White House in the coming weeks.
The White House confirmed Trump’s intent to continue honoring Columbus, emphasizing the administration’s view of the explorer as a historical hero.
“In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero,” spokesman Davis Ingle said. “And he will continue to be honored as such by President Trump.”
Trump has repeatedly voiced support for Columbus and for Columbus Day, which he has framed as a celebration of Italian American heritage. In October, Trump signed a presidential proclamation commemorating Columbus’ life with what the document described as “reverence and gratitude.”
“This Columbus Day, more than 500 years since Columbus arrived in the New World, we follow his example, we echo his resolve, and we offer our gratitude for his life of valor and grit,” the proclamation stated. “Above all, we commit to restoring a Nation that once again dares to tame the unknown, honors our rich cultural inheritance, and offers rightful praise to our Creator above.”
In recent years, Columbus Day has been the subject of national debate, with some activists and academics calling for its replacement with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Supporters of Columbus Day argue that the holiday remains an important cultural observance, particularly for Italian Americans.
Historical accounts cited by supporters note that Columbus adopted a Native American adolescent during his voyage in the Bahamas, who became known as Diego Colon. Columbus also urged his crew to show mercy toward Native populations even after attacks on Spanish settlements, according to records of his voyages. In his journals, Columbus described encounters with cannibalistic groups among the Taino tribes and expressed concern about violent hostilities.
Columbus Day remains officially recognized in 30 states and three U.S. territories, according to Pew Research. Several states, including Michigan, Vermont and Minnesota, have eliminated the holiday in favor of alternative observances.
If completed, the statue installation would mark one of the most prominent public affirmations of Columbus by the Trump administration, placing the controversial explorer’s likeness directly adjacent to the executive mansion.
Original article
Comments