Trump Brings Back Controversial Columbus Statue at White House

The resurrected statue has been installed on White House grounds.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 1:37am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

President Donald Trump has installed a controversial statue of Christopher Columbus on the White House grounds. The statue is a recreation of one that was dismantled and thrown into a river by protesters in Baltimore in 2020 during the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. The new statue was gifted to the White House by an Italian American organization and installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Why it matters

The installation of the Columbus statue is the latest in a series of changes Trump has made to the White House grounds during his second term, including plans to renovate the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The move is seen as a political statement, as attitudes towards Columbus have shifted in recent years with more than 30 monuments to the explorer removed across the country.

The details

The new statue was made using marble from the original statue that was destroyed in Baltimore in 2020. It was gifted to the White House by the Italian American Organizations United of Baltimore in October and installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the weekend. Trump has previously spoken out in support of Columbus, saying he would 'bring Columbus Day back from the ashes' and formally acknowledging the annual holiday in a presidential proclamation.

  • The original Columbus statue was dismantled and thrown into a river by protesters in Baltimore in 2020.
  • The new statue was gifted to the White House by the Italian American Organizations United of Baltimore in October 2026.
  • The new statue was installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds on the weekend of March 23, 2026.

The players

President Donald Trump

The current President of the United States who has installed the controversial Columbus statue on the White House grounds.

Italian American Organizations United of Baltimore

The organization that gifted the new Columbus statue to the White House.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero. And he will continue to be honored as such by President Trump.”

— Davis Ingle, White House spokesman

“I am truly honored that this magnificent statue will now sit on the grounds of the White House. It stands as an eternal memorial to courage, adventure, and the noblest aspirations of the human spirit as well as the extraordinary pride of our wonderful Italian American community.”

— President Donald Trump

What’s next

The White House has not indicated any further plans related to the Columbus statue installation at this time.

The takeaway

The installation of the controversial Columbus statue on the White House grounds is the latest in a series of politically charged moves by President Trump, who has sought to reinstate the explorer's legacy despite growing public opposition to honoring him.