The White House on Thursday released a presidential proclamation designating Monday, October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. In the statement, President Donald J. Trump praised the 15th-century explorer as “the original American hero” and “a giant of Western civilization.”
Starting in 2021, President Joe Biden had issued dual proclamations each October recognizing both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, reflecting a broader national shift toward acknowledging the history, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. Many states and municipalities across the country have since replaced Columbus Day entirely with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, choosing to honor Native communities rather than European conquest.
This year, however, only a Columbus Day proclamation was released — with no mention of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
In the proclamation, Trump sharply criticized recent efforts to reassess Columbus’s legacy, calling them an attempt to “erase our history” and “slander our heroes.” He went on to declare that “under my leadership, those days are finally over,” asserting that Columbus should be remembered as “a true American hero” whose determination shaped the nation’s destiny.
Read the proclamation here.