Restored Columbus Statue Installed Near White House After Reconstruction Effort

A reconstructed monument made from a statue destroyed in 2020 has been placed near the White House following a multi-year restoration effort.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

A statue of Christopher Columbus, rebuilt from fragments of a monument destroyed during unrest in 2020, has been installed near the White House, according to a report.

The installation features a reconstructed version of a statue originally erected in Baltimore in 1984 during the Reagan administration. The original monument was torn down in 2020, with portions of it reportedly thrown into the city’s harbor.

Recovered pieces of the statue were later restored through a collaborative effort involving Italian-American organizations, local officials, and artists. The restoration project was supported through a combination of charitable funding and federal grants.

The newly installed monument includes an inscription referencing its history, reading: “Destroyed July 4 2020. Resurrected 2022.”

A video circulating online shows the completed statue following installation.

In a statement referencing a line from the television series The Sopranos, a White House spokesperson said, “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero. And he will continue to be honored as such by President Trump.”

The installation follows a policy directive issued in March of the previous year, when President Trump signed an executive order directing a review and potential restoration of public monuments removed over the preceding five years. The order stated that certain removals contributed to what it described as a “false revision of history” or the disparagement of historical figures.

The directive also included provisions addressing programming and exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution. It stated that the agency had been influenced by what it described as “divisive, race-centered” narratives in recent years.

“Once widely respected… the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology,” the order stated.

The executive action established a deadline of July 4, 2026, aligning with the nation’s 250th anniversary, for the completion of reforms outlined in the directive.

“President Trump aims to ensure that the Smithsonian… sparks children’s imagination, celebrates American history and ingenuity… and makes America proud,” the White House said.