Donald Trump’s endless White House makeover will now see a statue of Christopher Columbus installed—a nod to Italian Americans that the president hopes will give a boost to Republicans in upcoming midterm elections.
“In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero. And he will continue to be honored as such by President Trump,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.
Citing sources familiar with the plans, The Washington Post reports that a reconstructed statue of the 15th-century explorer will be installed on the south side of the White House lawn, north of the Ellipse.
The piece is a reconstruction of a Columbus statue that was smashed and toppled into a Baltimore harbor during nationwide racial justice protests in 2020, when demonstrators targeted monuments deemed symbols of racism, colonialism, and oppression. More than 30 Columbus monuments were removed or toppled across the country during the Black Lives Matter protests six years ago.
The planned installation would add to a growing list of dramatic changes Trump has ordered since returning to the White House for a second term.
The president has long expressed admiration for Columbus, saying last year that the explorer deserved a “major comeback” in the U.S., and pledging to celebrate Columbus Day. In October, he signed a presidential proclamation that recognized Columbus as “the original American hero” and formally marked the annual holiday. He made no secret of his hopes that the move would win over Italian American voters, telling reporters last month: “The Italian people are very happy about it. Remember when you go to the voting booths, I reinstated Columbus Day.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Last year, Trump blamed Democrats for doing “everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
“They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but ‘WOKE,’ or even worse, nothing at all!” he said in a post on Truth Social in April 2025.
Trump also brought a statue of Gen. Albert Pike—a Confederate general who championed the secession of the South—back to life in D.C. after it was torn down and set alight during the sweeping protests in 2020.
It’s just one part of Trump’s round of aggressive renovations and changes that he has ordered in the past year.
He has gilded the Oval Office with rococo mirrors, gold medallions, and eagle figurines; paved over the Rose Garden to make it a patio and added a tacky sign; erected oversized flagpoles on the grounds; and announced plans to build a triumphal arch across from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C—a so-called “Arc de Trump.”
Trump has also torn down the East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, the budget for which has soared to $400 million, double the original price tag.
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