Trump Vows To Bring Back Columbus Day 'From The Ashes,' Promises To Restore 'Same Rules, Dates And Locations'

President Donald Trump vowed Sunday to "bring Columbus Day back from the ashes."

What Happened: Trump pledged on Truth Social to restore the federal holiday "under the same rules, dates, and locations" it held for decades.

"The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much," he wrote, adding that statues toppled during racial-justice protests would see a "major comeback."

Trump's declaration reignites a long-running culture clash over the second Monday in October. In 2021, former President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to issue a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day, noting the "resilience and strength" of Native communities and the "systematic" federal policies that once sought to erase them. Many cities and states have since replaced or paired Columbus Day with observances honoring Indigenous history.

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During his first term, Trump routinely praised Columbus as a symbol of exploration, saying in a 2018 proclamation that the navigator's voyage "formed the initial bond between Europe and the Americas, and changed the world forever." He never referenced Indigenous Peoples Day.

Why It Matters: Trump's promise to elevate Columbus Day fits in with his broader campaign against what he calls "woke" initiatives, from scrapping federal diversity-equity programs to threatening to pull funds from universities that adopt policies he opposes. The former president has repeatedly criticized teaching U.S. history through themes of oppression and race, casting his holiday push as another salvo in that culture war.

Ironically, Columbus Day itself was conceived as a tribute to diversity, according to the Associated Press. Lawmakers embraced the explorer in the late 19th century to court Italian-American voters as immigration from Italy surged. Columbus never reached the future United States, but his Genoese roots offered a convenient symbol for newcomers seeking acceptance — and for politicians eager to win their support.

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