Trump places statue of Christopher Columbus near the White House
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- A replica statue of Christopher Columbus has been installed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House, reflecting the Trump administration's effort to honor the explorer.
- The statue is a copy of one that was toppled and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in 2020 amid nationwide protests against institutional racism following George Floyd’s death.
- President Trump supports a traditional view of Columbus as a leader of the 1492 mission that initiated European colonization and the modern economic and political order, despite growing criticism of Columbus for his role in the conquest and exploitation of Native peoples.
- The statue was loaned to the federal government by the Italian American Organizations United and was created by Maryland sculptor Will Hemsley.
- The controversy surrounding Columbus has led some to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, which President Joe Biden officially recognized with a proclamation in 2021.
