Trump Signs Columbus Day Proclamation, Pledges To ‘Reclaim His Extraordinary Legacy’

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday declaring October 13 Columbus Day and vowing “to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory.”

While Columbus Day has been officially recognized in the United States for decades, the Italian explorer has been attacked by Left-wing activists in recent years. Last year, then-President Joe Biden acknowledged Columbus Day, but made little mention of the explorer’s accomplishments and focused on the “history and heritage of Italian Americans.” In Biden’s first year in office, he issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, which was recognized on the same day as Columbus Day.

Trump’s proclamation was a stark contrast with Biden’s words on Columbus.

“Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher Columbus — the original American hero, a giant of Western civilization, and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the earth,” the proclamation states.

“Outrageously, in recent years, Christopher Columbus has been a prime target of a vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack our heritage,” Trump’s proclamation adds. “Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces. Under my leadership, those days are finally over — and our Nation will now abide by a simple truth: Christopher Columbus was a true American hero, and every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination.”

In the past decade, controversy has surrounded Columbus Day, as leftists in academia and on the street argue that the day celebrates racism and colonialism. During the George Floyd riots in 2020, dozens of Columbus statues around the country were torn down by radical protesters or officially removed to satisfy their demands.

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Some states and the District of Columbia have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day while other states recognize Indigenous Peoples Day on the same day as Columbus Day.

The president signed the proclamation during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. After signing the document, Trump showed it to the cameras in the room and said, “We’re calling it Columbus Day.”

“We’re back, Italians,” he added.

President Trump: “Columbus Day! We’re back, Italians.” pic.twitter.com/EZdNS2dVpj

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) October 9, 2025

Trump also signed a proclamation declaring October 9 Leif Erickson Day and recognizing the Viking’s “triumphant spirit of exploration.”

“This Leif Erikson Day, we summon his courage, we honor his enduring legacy of adventure and exploration, and we renew our resolve to advance the limits of human achievement,” the proclamation states.