A statue of Christopher Columbus has been installed on the White House grounds, marking the latest move by President Donald Trump’s administration to reshape historical and cultural narratives in the United States, while drawing sharp reactions from civil rights advocates and historians.
The statue has been placed on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, and is a reconstruction of a monument previously unveiled in Baltimore in 1984 under former President Ronald Reagan. That original statue was toppled and dumped into the harbor during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd.
"The statue is now residing on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus," Trump told the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations in a letter on Sunday.
Framing the move as part of a broader cultural push, Trump has repeatedly defended Columbus’ legacy.
"The original American hero and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the Earth," he said in the letter, while also criticising protesters who removed similar monuments as "anti-American rioters."
The White House reinforced the stance publicly, stating on social media: "In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he's honored as such for generations to come."
The statue, created by Maryland-based sculptor Will Hemsley and owned by Italian American Organizations United, has been loaned to the federal government. "We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can peacefully shine and be protected," said John Pica, president of the organisation.
The move comes amid a wider campaign by the Trump administration to challenge what it calls “anti-American” ideology, including restoring contested monuments and revisiting historical depictions tied to slavery and the Confederacy. Recently, officials also confirmed plans to reinstall or display statues such as that of Caesar Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Confederate General Albert Pike.
However, critics argue that such efforts risk undermining decades of social progress. Columbus remains a deeply polarising figure, with supporters viewing him as a symbol of exploration and the beginning of the modern Western world, while others point to his role in the exploitation and suffering of Indigenous peoples.
The debate intensified in 2020, when protests across the U.S. led to the removal or vandalisation of several Columbus statues, alongside a broader global re-examination of colonial history and systemic racism. In recent years, some cities and institutions have also shifted from celebrating Columbus Day to recognising Indigenous Peoples Day instead.
Trump has strongly opposed that shift. "I'm bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.," he declared last April, adding that "Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much."