Overview

• At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, President Trump signed a proclamation recognizing the second Monday in October as Columbus Day and declared, “We’re calling it Columbus Day.”
• White House staff secretary Will Scharf presented the document for signature as the room applauded, and Trump joked that members of the press were the ones clapping, adding, “We’re back, Italians.”
• The date is a federal holiday, yet numerous states and cities observe Indigenous Peoples Day instead or acknowledge both observances.
• Pew Research Center describes the observance as inconsistent nationwide, reporting that only 30 states mark Columbus Day and 20 states plus two territories grant it as a paid holiday for state workers.
• Coverage framed the proclamation as part of the White House’s push against “woke” policies, and Fox News reported Trump also signed a Leif Erikson Day proclamation.