Trump Installs Columbus Statue, Sparking Controversy

0:00It's March 23, I'm Cory with the story. This is entertainment and celebrity news, today driven by AI and built for the culture. President Donald Trump has installed a 13-foot replica statue of Christopher Columbus on the White House grounds near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The new one-ton figure reconstructs a marble monument toppled by protesters and thrown into Baltimore's inner harbor on July 4, 2020. The sculptor relied on shattered pieces pulled from the harbor to craft the replica. An Italian American organization owns it and has loaned the statue to the federal government until January 20, 2029. It now stands on a pedestal, noting its destruction, resurrection in 2022, and rededication by Trump on October 13, 2025. Trump calls Columbus the original American hero and sees the removal of such statues as an attack on national history. His spokesman echoed that view, affirming Columbus' place of honor in this White House.

1:03Meanwhile, groups like the Cato Institute warn it will spark controversy and question using tax dollars to push one historical narrative. This installation ties into Trump's broader White House renovations, including new statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in the Rose. Garden after demolishing part of the East Wing for a ballroom. It also follows his move to reinstate Columbus' stay nationwide, reversing changes made under the previous administration. As debates over Columbus' legacy continue, from bold explorer to figure tied to colonialism and harm to native peoples, this statue stands as a bold. Stay meant in an evolving conversation about America's heroes and history.