President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he plans to “bring Columbus Day back from the ashes,” accusing Democrats of doing “everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
The National Italian American Foundation, one of the largest organizations representing Italian Americans, publicly praised Trump’s move, commending his efforts to preserve and elevate the holiday’s significance within the Italian American community. The group also said it is “ready to work with the administration” to ensure the tradition remains honored.
Columbus Day has never been officially canceled as a national holiday. First celebrated in New York in 1792 to mark the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ landing, it was later designated as a federal holiday in 1971 by an act of Congress.
However, in the wake of nationwide protests and a broader reckoning over historical figures following May 2020, movements associated with “cancel culture” increasingly targeted Columbus, arguing that his legacy is tied to the enslavement and genocide of Native Americans.
Since then, at least 12 states, along with Washington, D.C., and several cities, have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Other states, such as Delaware and Oregon, do not officially observe the holiday, while Texas and California eliminated it as a paid legal holiday for state government employees.
In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to formally recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a national observance, encouraging Americans to celebrate it alongside Columbus Day rather than replacing the latter.
