President Donald Trump marked Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, by unveiling a new statue of Christopher Columbus at the White House and taking aim at Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and other “lunatics” who he said are “against Christopher Columbus.”
The 13-foot-tall marble monument is a replica of a Columbus statue that was toppled by protesters in July 2020.
“I resurrected Christopher Columbus,” Trump said.
The president described where the new statue now stands.
“I put up a statue, beautiful statue of Christopher Columbus, right in front of the main office building, the Eisenhower Building, right across the street. That’s the office building, essentially, for the White House and other very important agencies,” Trump said.
“He’s back to where he should be,” he added.
Trump called Columbus “probably the first Italian-American” before turning his attention to those who want to do away with the holiday.
“As you know, the radical left communists hate Columbus and they want to abolish Columbus Day. They’re still trying very hard,” Trump said.
The president then singled out El-Sayed, once again using a different first name for the Michigan candidate.
“You know this guy, I call him Mohammed El-Fayed. Some people call him Abdul [El-Sayed]. I call him Mohammed. Somebody said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I feel like it,’” Trump said.
The remark drew delighted laughter from the crowd.
Trump went on to accuse El-Sayed of wanting to eliminate the holiday altogether.
“But he wants to abolish Columbus Day. He wants no reference to — Can you believe it?” Trump asked.
The president broadened his criticism to others he said share that view.
“So we have people that, these lunatics that are running, they are all against Christopher Columbus,” Trump said.
He vowed that the new statue would be safeguarded for the remainder of his time in office.
“But I’ll tell you what, we are going to be here almost two-and-a-half years. He is going to be so protected, like no one has ever been protected before, because they want to tear down the history and heritage that makes us who we are,” Trump said.
El-Sayed has previously spoken out in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Last year, he posted a message on X honoring Native communities in his state.
“This Indigenous Peoples Day, we honor the indigenous communities in Michigan who are the original inhabitants of these lands,” El-Sayed wrote.
He continued, “And in the memory of the atrocities committed upon them and those that continue to be committed on so many indigenous communities worldwide, we strive for a world where indigenous people are guaranteed dignity and self-determination on their own land.”
The holiday has been the subject of shifting recognition at the federal level. While in office, former President Joe Biden officially proclaimed that Indigenous Peoples’ Day should be observed alongside Columbus Day.
Trump, meanwhile, used this year’s holiday to make his position clear, standing by the explorer and promising that the restored statue, a replica of one torn down by protesters in 2020, will stay protected for the rest of his term.
