Trump proclaims Columbus Day and calls Columbus a 'legend'; critics urge honoring Indigenous peoples instead
Trump's October 7 proclamation calls Columbus a legend and vows to protect his legacy, and he hosted a White House celebration. Michael Knowles and Sen. Bernie Moreno defended the holiday; Zeteo and MoveOn urged honoring Indigenous peoples instead.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
A 1934 joint resolution of Congress asked the president to proclaim Columbus Day each year, and the holiday has been observed on the second Monday in October since 1971. Native American advocates and others have argued that Columbus is not an appropriate person to celebrate, and some states mark Indigenous Peoples' Day on the same date. In 2021, President Biden became the first president to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day. Trump has said he would bring Columbus Day "back from the ashes."
Earlier in 2026, a statue of Columbus was placed near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds. The proclamation describes it as a replica of a Baltimore statue that rioters tore down and threw into Baltimore Harbor on July 4, 2020. The National News Desk reported that the statue was made from remnants of the Baltimore monument and is on loan from Italian American Organizations United.
The proclamation also says Columbus Day holds special significance for Italian Americans and directs that the U.S. flag be displayed on all public buildings on October 12.
People in this case
Donald TrumpDirectly involved
Bernie MorenoCommented
Michael KnowlesCommented
Timeline
4 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026
October 2026
Trump signs his 2026 Columbus Day proclamation
Source release
Trump proclaims October 12, 2026, as Columbus Day, calls Columbus a legend whose voyage set in motion the founding of the nation, and directs that the U.S. flag be displayed on public buildings that day.
[01]The White House
President Trump signed this proclamation on October 7, 2026, proclaiming October 12, 2026, as Columbus Day and directing that the flag be displayed on public buildings that day. The Federal Register scheduled it for publication on October 13, 2026.
Proclamation 11073: Columbus Day, 2026 · The White HouseFull text; Federal Register document 2026-20972[02]Asheville Citizen Times explains Trump's 2026 Columbus Day proclamation
Asheville Citizen Times explainer, carried by Yahoo News, comparing Trump's October 7, 2026, Columbus Day proclamation with his 2025 proclamation and describing how Indigenous Peoples' Day is observed.
Trump hosts a Columbus Day celebration at the White House
Trump hosts a Columbus Day celebration at the White House ahead of the October 12 observance, months after a Columbus statue was placed on the White House grounds.
[03]The National News Desk
The National News Desk report on the Columbus Day celebration Trump hosted at the White House on October 9, 2026, with background on the Columbus statue placed on the White House grounds and on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
Trump hosts Columbus Day celebration at the White House · The National News DeskFull articleZeteo and MoveOn object to celebrating Columbus
Reaction
On Columbus Day, Zeteo publishes a list of what it calls shocking facts about Columbus, and MoveOn says it is time to stop celebrating colonizers.
[04]Zeteo
Zeteo article published on Columbus Day, October 12, 2026, responding to Trump's promotion of the holiday with a list of what it calls shocking facts about Columbus.
Zeteo: 7 reasons not to celebrate Christopher Columbus · ZeteoFull article[05]MoveOn
MoveOn posted this message on Bluesky on October 12, 2026, the day the federal government observed Columbus Day.
MoveOn Bluesky post on Indigenous Peoples' Day · MoveOnPost textSen. Bernie Moreno calls marking the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day 'just dumb'
Reaction
In a TMZ interview, Moreno says celebrating the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day is an insult to Italian Americans and that Columbus cannot be judged by today's standards.
[06]TMZ
TMZ video of a brief interview in which a reporter asks Sen. Bernie Moreno about people celebrating the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day.
TMZ: Sen. Bernie Moreno defends Columbus Day · TMZ00:03-00:45
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Christopher Columbus is a legend whose vision, fortitude and perseverance set in motion the history that led to the founding of the United States, and his legacy deserves to be honored rather than erased.
What is disputed
Trump made the claim in his October 7, 2026, Columbus Day proclamation. Michael Knowles said most criticisms of Columbus are not true and rest on documents written by his political rival Francisco de Bobadilla. Zeteo pointed to what it called "the horrible record Columbus holds", and MoveOn called for an end to celebrating colonizers. Native American advocates and others have argued that Columbus is not an appropriate person to celebrate.
Sources (5)
- Proclamation 11073: Columbus Day, 2026 · The White HouseFull text; Federal Register document 2026-20972
- Michael Knowles praises Trump's Columbus Day proclamation · Michael Knowles01:00-01:40 and 04:55-05:35
- Zeteo: 7 reasons not to celebrate Christopher Columbus · ZeteoFull article
- MoveOn Bluesky post on Indigenous Peoples' Day · MoveOnPost text
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
4 responses. Newest first.
Bernie MorenoRepublican U.S. senator from OhioBefore this statement
A TMZ reporter asked Moreno about people celebrating the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day. Moreno answered, "Ah, that's just dumb. It's an insult to Italian-Americans."
"But look, obviously Columbus, you can't judge a guy from 1492 based on today's standards. I mean, that's just silly."
Defended or excusedCase context: Trump proclaims Columbus Day and calls Columbus a 'legend'; critics urge honoring Indigenous peoples instead
Full statement and sources
Asked about people marking the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day, Moreno calls the idea an insult to Italian Americans and says Columbus cannot be judged by today's standards.
After the statement
He added that the holiday "celebrates a moment in history" and that celebrating it does not mean saying "that was right and this was wrong".
TMZ: Sen. Bernie Moreno defends Columbus Day · TMZ00:03-00:45Why this label?
The reference point is honoring Christopher Columbus with Columbus Day, as Trump's 2026 proclamation and White House celebration do. Moreno defends celebrating Columbus, calling the alternative an insult to Italian Americans and saying Columbus should not be judged by today's standards, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Minimized, because he sets aside criticism of Columbus's conduct as a matter of changed standards; it loses because his main point is that the holiday should be kept.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
ZeteoNews and opinion publication, through a Team Zeteo articleBefore this statement
Zeteo opened by quoting the description of Columbus in Trump's Columbus Day proclamation the year before, "The original American hero", and said Trump's push for the holiday is "a direct attack on efforts to rename it" Indigenous Peoples' Day.
"But while Trump attempts to sanitize the person behind this day, there is no running away from the horrible record Columbus holds."
CondemnedResponding to: Christopher Columbus is a legend whose vision, fortitude and perseverance set in motion the history that led to the founding of the United States, and his legacy deserves to be honored rather than erased.
Full statement and sources
Zeteo calls Trump's push for Columbus Day an attack on efforts to rename the holiday Indigenous Peoples' Day, says Trump is trying to sanitize Columbus, and lists what it calls shocking facts about him.
After the statement
The article then lists seven points about Columbus, beginning with the argument that European explorers reached North America about 500 years before him.
Zeteo: 7 reasons not to celebrate Christopher Columbus · ZeteoFull articleWhy this label?
The reference point is honoring Christopher Columbus with Columbus Day, as Trump's 2026 proclamation and White House celebration do. Zeteo says Trump is trying to sanitize Columbus and that his record is horrible, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because the article disputes how Columbus is described; it loses because it argues against celebrating him.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
MoveOnProgressive advocacy organization, on its official Bluesky accountBefore this statement
MoveOn posted the message on its Bluesky account on October 12, 2026.
"This Indigenous Peoples' Day, let's be clear: No one is illegal on stolen land. It's time to stop celebrating colonizers and start honoring Indigenous peoples, their history, their sovereignty, and their fight for justice."
CondemnedResponding to: Christopher Columbus is a legend whose vision, fortitude and perseverance set in motion the history that led to the founding of the United States, and his legacy deserves to be honored rather than erased.
Full statement and sources
On October 12, MoveOn says it is time to stop celebrating colonizers and to honor Indigenous peoples, their sovereignty and their fight for justice.
After the statement
The post does not mention Trump or Columbus by name.
MoveOn Bluesky post on Indigenous Peoples' Day · MoveOnPost textWhy this label?
The reference point is honoring Christopher Columbus with Columbus Day, as Trump's 2026 proclamation and White House celebration do. On the day Columbus Day was observed, MoveOn says it is time to stop celebrating colonizers and to honor Indigenous peoples instead, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization; it loses because the post rejects the celebration itself rather than disputing how Columbus is described.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Michael KnowlesHost of The Michael Knowles ShowBefore this statement
Knowles said he had wanted to attend that day's White House Columbus Day event, and said critics have called Columbus "an enslaver and a sadist and an oppressor".
"He's all of the greatness of what we now call Western civilization, what we used to call Christendom. That's why they hate him. So the president issued his Columbus Day proclamation. It's really, really great."
Defended or excusedResponding to: Christopher Columbus is a legend whose vision, fortitude and perseverance set in motion the history that led to the founding of the United States, and his legacy deserves to be honored rather than erased.
Full statement and sources
On his show, Knowles calls Columbus one of the greatest men in history, says the left hates him because he represents Western civilization, and praises Trump's Columbus Day proclamation.
After the statement
Later in the segment, Knowles said, "Most of the criticisms leveled against Columbus are just not true, by the way."
Michael Knowles praises Trump's Columbus Day proclamation · Michael Knowles01:00-01:40 and 04:55-05:35Why this label?
The reference point is honoring Christopher Columbus with Columbus Day, as Trump's 2026 proclamation and White House celebration do. Knowles praises the proclamation and calls Columbus one of the greatest men in history, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because he later says Columbus did plenty of things wrong; it loses because he also says the main criticisms of Columbus are not true.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(7)
Official statement
Proclamation 11073: Columbus Day, 2026
Relevant passage: Full text; Federal Register document 2026-20972
About this source
President Trump signed this proclamation on October 7, 2026, proclaiming October 12, 2026, as Columbus Day and directing that the flag be displayed on public buildings that day. The Federal Register scheduled it for publication on October 13, 2026.
- Author
- Donald J. Trump
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Zeteo: 7 reasons not to celebrate Christopher Columbus
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Zeteo article published on Columbus Day, October 12, 2026, responding to Trump's promotion of the holiday with a list of what it calls shocking facts about Columbus.
- Author
- Team Zeteo
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
MoveOn Bluesky post on Indigenous Peoples' Day
Relevant passage: Post text
About this source
MoveOn posted this message on Bluesky on October 12, 2026, the day the federal government observed Columbus Day.
- Author
- MoveOn (@moveon.org)
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
TMZ: Sen. Bernie Moreno defends Columbus Day
About this source
TMZ video of a brief interview in which a reporter asks Sen. Bernie Moreno about people celebrating the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day.
- Author
- TMZ
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Michael Knowles praises Trump's Columbus Day proclamation
About this source
Clip posted October 12, 2026, from episode 2078 of The Michael Knowles Show, recorded on October 9, the day of the White House Columbus Day celebration. Knowles discusses Columbus and Trump's proclamation.
- Author
- Michael Knowles Clips
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Asheville Citizen Times explains Trump's 2026 Columbus Day proclamation
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Asheville Citizen Times explainer, carried by Yahoo News, comparing Trump's October 7, 2026, Columbus Day proclamation with his 2025 proclamation and describing how Indigenous Peoples' Day is observed.
- Author
- Iris Seaton
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump hosts Columbus Day celebration at the White House
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
The National News Desk report on the Columbus Day celebration Trump hosted at the White House on October 9, 2026, with background on the Columbus statue placed on the White House grounds and on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
- Author
- Alexx Altman-Devilbiss
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Trump proclaims Columbus Day and calls Columbus a 'legend'; critics urge honoring Indigenous peoples instead
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/trump-columbus-day-2026-proclamation
The Dispute Index. "Trump proclaims Columbus Day and calls Columbus a 'legend'; critics urge honoring Indigenous peoples instead". First published: 2026-10-18. Last updated: 2026-10-18. https://disputeindex.com/cases/trump-columbus-day-2026-proclamation