Trump Marks Columbus Day with Faith-Centered Proclamation, Calls to “Reclaim” Legacy
Seeks to “reclaim his extraordinary legacy…from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory”
In a proclamation issued October 9, President Donald J. Trump called on Americans to honor Columbus Day and 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.”
Trump’s declaration designates October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day and directs that the American flag be displayed on all public buildings in tribute to Christopher Columbus and those who “have contributed to building our Nation.”
In his proclamation, the President hailed Columbus as “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.” He further framed recent attacks on Columbus’s reputation as part of a broader campaign to “erase our history … slander our heroes, and attack our heritage.”
Trump’s text traces Columbus’s 1492 voyage, noting that his arrival in the Americas “opened the vast frontier and untold splendors of the New World to Europe.” The proclamation credits Columbus with devotion, saying he “planted a majestic cross in a mighty act of devotion, dedicating the land to God.”
The President also emphasized Italian-American heritage, writing, “As we celebrate his legacy, we also acknowledge the contributions of the countless Italian-Americans who … have endlessly contributed to our culture and our way of life.”
Trump warned that “left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces.” He affirmed that under his leadership, “those days are finally over.”
He closed by calling on Americans to “observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities” and to honor those who have contributed to the nation.
Columbus Day has been observed on the second Monday of October since 1971. The holiday commemorates Columbus’s 1492 voyage, celebrates Italian-American heritage, and also acknowledges the 1891 lynching of 11 Italian Americans.
The holiday is not without its controversy. Some critics argue that Columbus’s legacy should be reconsidered in light of colonial impact on Indigenous peoples and ensuing injustices. In 2021, President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day to be observed on the same date as Columbus Day.
Responding to such critiques, Trump’s proclamation frames recent criticisms of Columbus as ideologically driven. He casts Columbus’s legacy as under attack, and positions this proclamation as a way to resist that shift.
Supporters of Columbus Day have defended his contributions. Historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto, quoted in the National Catholic Register, said the “current hostility to him is ill-informed.” He added, “He was understandably conflicted about the people he encountered … by the standards of his contemporaries, his most characteristic judgments … were highly positive.”
Fernández-Armesto also noted: “Columbus Day is commendable — instituted in expiation of the worst lynching in U.S. history … Columbus suited a project of national reconciliation because he was, for most of the history of the U.S., a unifying figure.”
He further argued, “It’s hard to think of anyone whose impact on the hemisphere has been greater.”
The President’s Proclamation may be found HERE.
