Donald Trump Demands Return of Columbus Statue to Ohio

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on October 12, 2026, declaring Columbus Day and praising the explorer's "valor, adventure, and ingenuity." Trump asserted that the "days of plunder" involving the removal of Columbus statues by "radical extremists" have ended, vowing that the explorer's legacy will not be erased.

During a White House event on Friday, Trump demanded the return of a 1955 statue to its original location in front of City Hall in Columbus, Ohio. The monument was removed in 2020 by Mayor Andrew Ginther following racial injustice protests. This push follows Trump's installation of a 13-foot replica of a toppled Baltimore statue on the White House grounds in March 2026.

Columbus city officials rejected the request. Mayor Ginther stated that he and the president have "different priorities," urging Trump to focus on tariffs, gas prices, and ending a "senseless war." City Council President Shannon Hardin further criticized the president on Facebook, telling him to "keep my city’s name out of your mouth.

Trump also used the holiday to target political opponents, accusing Michigan Senate candidate Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed of attempting to abolish Columbus Day. The dispute over the Ohio statue remains subject to a pending lawsuit filed by Italian-American organizations claiming the 2020 removal was illegal and discriminatory.