Trump signs Columbus Day proclamation

President Trump signed a proclamation Thursday honoring Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who traveled to the New World in 1492.

The proclamation states, “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.”

It continues, “This Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and gratitude, and we pledge 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.”

The proclamation calls upon the people of the U.S. “to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of the great Christopher Columbus and all who have contributed to building our Nation.”

Mr. Trump, in a Truth Social post, promised last April to make Columbus Day, one of 11 holidays recognized by the federal government to make a “major comeback” in the U.S.

“In other words, we’re calling it Columbus Day,” Mr. Trump said.

Columbus sailed his three ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, across the Atlantic Ocean and landed in what is known today as the Caribbean.

The famous explorer was first celebrated in 1892, when anti-Italian emotions were prevalent in the U.S.

Columbus Day became an official federal holiday in 1934 during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s term. Since 1970, it has been observed every year on the second Monday in October.

However, since the 1970s, Columbus’ legacy has been scrutinized for bringing fatal diseases and exploiting indigenous peoples in the Americas.

The embittered feelings toward Columbus have led some city and state governments to change the name of the holiday or not acknowledge it at all.

This included the idea of naming the day Indigenous Peoples Day, which was first proposed in 1977 by members of the United Nations International Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Populations in the Americas.

A 2023 study conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that only 16 states and the U.S. territory of American Samoa still recognized the holiday called Columbus Day on the second Monday of October.