A reconstructed statue of Christopher Columbus was installed on the White House grounds Sunday, becoming one of the few sculptures to stand on the presidential campus and the latest move by the Trump administration to restore monuments toppled during the 2020 racial justice protests.
The statue was installed in a plaza on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which sits adjacent to the White House, in full public view. It was gifted to the White House by the Italian American Organizations United of Baltimore and the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations.
The statue is a recreation of one dedicated on Columbus Day in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. The original marble sculpture shattered into pieces when protesters threw it into Baltimore's Inner Harbor on July 4, 2020, during nationwide demonstrations that followed the police killing of George Floyd. Angry members of Baltimore's Italian American community organized an effort to retrieve the pieces and raised tens of thousands of dollars - including $60,000 in federal grants - to have Maryland artist Will Hemsley recreate it.
The 13-foot, one-ton replica is part of the White House's celebration of America's 250th anniversary. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle confirmed the installation and said, "In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he's honored as such for generations to come."
The Columbus statue has been loaned to the National Park Service until January 20, 2029, when the donating organization says it will reassess the statue's future based on the next president's plans.
The installation reignites a long-running national debate. Columbus is celebrated by many Italian Americans as a cultural symbol, but critics argue he was responsible for the genocide and exploitation of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. In recent years, some institutions and government entities have replaced Columbus Day with recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day - a shift Trump has dismissed as "left-wing arsonists" bending history.
The Columbus installation is part of broader efforts also including a statue of Albert Pike in Washington, D.C., and a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. More than 30 Columbus monuments were removed or toppled across the country in 2020.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube