A statue of Christopher Columbus has been placed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House. This move by the Trump administration aims to honor the controversial explorer, sparking renewed debate over his legacy.
The marble statue, created by sculptor Will Hemsley, is a replica of one that was removed from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in 2020 during nationwide protests against institutional racism. The original statue was toppled following the death of George Floyd.
President Trump has consistently defended Columbus, viewing him as a heroic figure who initiated European colonization in the Americas. The White House stated on X, “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he’s honored as such for generations to come.”
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to re-evaluate figures like Columbus, with many institutions and government entities replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. President Joe Biden was the first U.S. president to issue a proclamation for Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021.
However, Trump has dismissed these shifts as the work of “left-wing arsonists” distorting history. He has vowed to “bring Columbus Day back from the ashes” and criticized what he perceives as efforts by Democrats to tarnish the explorer’s reputation and alienate Italian Americans who revere him.
The statue is owned by John Pica, a Maryland lobbyist and president of the Italian American Organizations United. His organization agreed to loan the statue to the federal government for its placement near the White House. The statue now stands on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.