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4mo ago

Trump Declares Columbus Day 'Reinstated' Despite No Legal Change

The former president's statement highlights ongoing cultural tensions over the holiday's meaning and its place in U.S. historical memory.

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CORRECTS DATE - The grand entry of hundreds of Native American and Indigenous dancers begins with the staff procession during the annual Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
CORRECTS DATE - Native American and Indigenous dancers pack an arena during a grand entry procession at the annual Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
FILE - Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, right, and Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, left, present President Joe Biden with an Eighth Generation blanket from a tribally-owned business, embroidered with "Joe Biden Champion for Indian Country," at the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interior in Washington, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Overview

  • Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he is 'bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,' claiming Democrats have undermined the holiday and Christopher Columbus's legacy.
  • Columbus Day remains a federal holiday and has not been legally altered; only Congress can create or remove federal holidays.
  • Trump's remarks reference the growing recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, formally acknowledged by President Biden in 2021 via a presidential proclamation alongside Columbus Day.
  • Activists and several states have increasingly replaced or paired Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, citing Columbus's role in colonial violence against Native peoples.
  • The debate over Columbus Day reflects broader cultural and political divisions, with Trump framing the issue as part of his opposition to 'woke' policies and reinterpretations of U.S. history.