A new statue of Christopher Columbus stands in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex on 23 March 2026 in Washington.
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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press
Copyright Copyright 2026 The Associated Press
By Christina Thykjaer & Tokunbo Salako
Published on 24/03/2026 - 12:06 GMT+1•Updated
14:40
Donald Trump has ordered a statue of Christopher Columbus to be installed in the White House, a replica of a monument toppled during protests over the killing of George Floyd, reopening the debate in the US over historical memory and the best way to mark the nation's 250th independence anniversary.
A statue of Christopher Columbus has been installed on the White House grounds on the orders of US President Donald Trump in a decision that has sparked intense political and cultural debate in the country
The sculpture has been placed in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the presidential complex, and is a replica of a monument unveiled in 1984 in Baltimore that was torn down during protests over the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
His murder led to one of the largest waves of civil rights protests in the United States in decades, framed within the Black Lives Matter movement
It also sparked a critical re-examination of historical symbols associated with racism, colonisation, and oppression.
As demonstrations spread, numerous statues of Columbus were removed or toppled in various American cities as many people questioned the glorification of figures linked to European expansion in the Americas.
A new statue of Christopher Columbus stands in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex on March 23, 2026, in Washington.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press
According to the White House, this latest move seeks to vindicate the Spanish-funded explorer as a fundamental part of Western history whose expeditions marked the start of European expansion in America
Trump has described Columbus as "the original American hero"
"In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure that he is honoured as such for generations to come," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in an official statement.
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The decision has been interpreted by Trump supporters as a gesture of defence of Western cultural heritage and national pride
Critics, however, and social organisations see it as a vindication of a figure linked to the beginning of colonisation and abuses against indigenous peoples.
A new statue of Christopher Columbus stands in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex on 23 March 2026 in Washington.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press
The statue, donated by Italian-American organisations, is part of a broader strategy of the Republican president to restore historical symbols removed in recent years
Trump had already pushed for the recovery of Columbus Day in the official calendar, replacing the Indigenous Peoples' Day promoted by the previous administration.
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Source: This article was originally published by Euronews
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