# White House Columbus Day celebration > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/white-house-columbus-day-celebration > Updated: 2026-10-11T16:28:30.000Z. Sources: 76. Developments: 3. President Donald Trump hosted a Columbus Day celebration at the White House to honor Christopher Columbus and Italian American heritage. During the event, Trump described Columbus as an “original American hero” and stated he had “resurrected” the explorer’s legacy following previous administrative shifts toward celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day. The ceremony, held in the East Room, included diplomats from Italy and Spain and featured a performance by tenor Christopher Macchio. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was also in attendance. In a move aimed at the Italian American electorate ahead of elections, Trump framed the event as a defense of historical monuments and traditions against what he termed “radical left communists.” Trump announced plans to install a new Columbus statue in the White House Rose Garden, joining existing monuments to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. This follows the installation of a replica statue near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building that was recovered after being destroyed during 2020 unrest. The administration has also worked to restore the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain at Washington’s Union Station. Trump reaffirmed his support for these efforts, stating that the “days of plunder”—referring to the 2020 destruction of monuments—are over and claiming statues are being restored “more magnificent than ever.” Expanding on these efforts, the President issued a proclamation to safeguard the legacy of Christopher Columbus and reaffirmed the national significance of the holiday. He specifically called for the immediate return of a controversial Columbus statue to Columbus, Ohio, which was removed by city officials in 2020, following legal challenges from Italian-American organizations. Attendees included Italian-American figures such as Teresa Giudice. Following the event, Kamel Ghribi, Chairman of Gksd and Vice President of Gruppo San Donato, highlighted the importance of the Italy-US relationship. ## Claims - Donald Trump claimed to have collected nearly all the votes from the Italian-American community. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Donald Trump proclaimed Christopher Columbus to be the 'original American hero'. (corroborated by 5 sources) - The White House hosted a celebration of Italian-American identity in the East Room to mark Columbus Day. (corroborated by 5 sources) - There are over twenty million citizens in the United States with Italian roots. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Donald Trump claims he restored Columbus Day to appeal to Italian-American voters. (corroborated by 4 sources) - White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated that Christopher Columbus is a hero in the White House and will be honored for generations. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Former Maryland Democratic Senator John A. Pica Jr. stated that Italian-Americans felt offended by previous events and appreciate the attention on their cultural heritage. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The White House is hosting a ceremony to celebrate Christopher Columbus with a 4-meter statue. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The midterm elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, involving 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Under the Biden presidency, October 12 became Indigenous Peoples’ Day. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-11: Trump celebrates Columbus Day and defends monument legacy President Trump celebrated Columbus Day at the White House, defending the explorer's legacy and calling for the return of removed monuments, including a statue in Columbus, Ohio. 20 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/donald-trump-hosts-white-house-celebration-for-columbus-day ### 2026-10-10: Kamel Ghribi emphasizes Italy-US relations at White House Kamel Ghribi, Chairman of GKSD, praised the Italy-US relationship during a Columbus Day event at the White House, calling for strengthened cooperation in innovation, healthcare, and infrastructure. 22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-us-relations-emphasized-at-white-house-columbus-day-event ### 2026-10-08: Trump celebrates Columbus Day at White House to honor Italian American heritage Donald Trump hosted a White House ceremony celebrating Columbus Day, honoring Christopher Columbus as a hero to strengthen ties with the Italian American community and defend historical monuments. 48 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/donald-trump-uses-christopher-columbus-to-court-italian-american-voters --- Cite as: White House Columbus Day celebration. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/white-house-columbus-day-celebration