Trump Vows to Restore Columbus Day, Rejects Recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day
- BTW21
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
April 28, 2025 (BTW21) President Donald Trump declared Sunday that, if reelected, he would cease the official White House recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, doubling down on his defense of Christopher Columbus and accusing Democrats of “destroying” the explorer’s legacy.
Trump’s comments came in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he wrote, “I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.” He criticized Democrats for what he described as efforts to tarnish the reputation of Columbus and marginalize Italian-American heritage, claiming, “The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
The move is a reversal from President Joe Biden’s 2021 proclamation, which for the first time formally acknowledged Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day.
In that proclamation, Biden praised Native peoples’ “invaluable contributions and resilience,” and recognized their historical mistreatment, stating, “We have never fully lived up to [the promise of equality], especially when it comes to upholding the rights and dignity of the Indigenous people who were here long before colonization.”
While Columbus Day remains a federal holiday — observed on the second Monday in October — Indigenous Peoples Day has increasingly been adopted by cities, states, and institutions across the country as a more inclusive alternative.
Supporters argue that commemorating Columbus, whose expeditions paved the way for centuries of Indigenous displacement and violence, perpetuates a distorted and harmful view of history.
Despite this shift, Trump has consistently opposed reframing American history through what he calls a “lens of diversity and oppression.”
He has repeatedly condemned the removal or defacement of Columbus statues in recent years and highlighted his administration’s restoration of a statue in Baltimore that had been toppled during racial justice protests in 2020.
Columbus Day’s origins in the United States date back to the late 19th century, spurred by efforts to support Italian-American communities facing discrimination.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt established it as a national holiday in 1934. Trump’s remarks Sunday echoed this historical context, portraying the holiday as a cultural pillar for Italian Americans.
As the 2024 election season intensifies, Trump’s stance underscores his broader campaign theme of defending what he calls “traditional American values” — even as critics argue those values often exclude key parts of the nation’s history.