"Trump Claims Democrats Tarnished Columbus Day and the Explorer's Legacy"

 Donald Trump is once again weighing in on the Columbus Day debate.

In a post on Truth Social on April 27, Trump declared he's "bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes."

Columbus Day, a federal holiday since 1892, is celebrated on the second Monday of October. However, some states and cities have shifted to observe Indigenous Peoples Day or celebrate both, due to concerns that honoring Christopher Columbus perpetuates the exploitation and genocide of native populations.

Trump's renewed focus on Columbus Day comes as part of his broader push against what he calls "woke" policies and institutions, such as eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal government and challenging universities over policies he opposes.

Trump has long criticized the reevaluation of Columbus’s legacy. In a 2020 proclamation, he lamented that "radical activists" were distorting Columbus’s contributions, focusing instead on his alleged wrongdoings. "These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities, and his achievements with transgressions."

Former President Joe Biden marked Indigenous Peoples Day in a 2021 proclamation, becoming the first president to do so. In his Columbus Day statement, Biden acknowledged the painful history of European explorers’ impact on Indigenous communities, while also honoring the "courage and contributions of Italian Americans" over time.

Trump has regularly criticized efforts to tarnish Columbus’s legacy. He accused Democrats of trying to "destroy" the explorer’s reputation, pointing to the removal of Columbus statues and what he saw as a focus on "WOKE" ideals.

"Christopher is going to make a major comeback," Trump said on Truth Social. "I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all the many decades before!"