President Trump said Sunday that he plans to reinstate Columbus Day as a federal holiday and blamed Democrats for its diminished prominence.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump accused Democrats of trying to “destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him,” adding, “Christopher is going to make a major comeback.”
Columbus Day remains a federal holiday, but many cities and states have shifted to celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day instead. According to Axios, over half of U.S. states no longer recognize either holiday formally.
Despite Trump’s comments, presidents cannot unilaterally create or remove federal holidays; congressional approval is required. Executive orders could declare a temporary observance but would need to be renewed annually.
Indigenous Peoples Day gained national attention in the 1990s and was formally acknowledged by President Biden in 2021. Protests and the removal of Columbus statues escalated following the Black Lives Matter movement.
Efforts to make Indigenous Peoples Day a federal holiday failed to advance in Congress last year.
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