The President of the United States, Donald Trump, made it clear that he would not continue the practice of the former Democratic president, Joe Biden, of recognizing the “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” along with “Columbus Day” celebrated in October, accusing the Democrats of denigrating the controversial explorer’s legacy.
Trump intends to restore what he claims are “traditional American icons.”
On Sunday, the American president launched his social network Truth Social: “I am resurrecting Columbus Day.” He also stated that “the Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all the Italians who adore him so much.”
“They tore down their statues and only put ‘WOKE’, or worse yet, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be glad to know that Christopher is coming back strong,” wrote Trump.
“I hereby reinstate Columbus Day with the same rules, dates, and locations it has had for all previous decades!” he concluded.
Biden was the first president to commemorate Indigenous Peoples Day, issuing a proclamation in 2021 celebrating “the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples” and recognizing “their inherent sovereignty.”
The proclamation stated that the United States “was conceived with the promise of equality and opportunities for all people,” but that promise “we have never fully fulfilled. This is especially true when it comes to defending the rights and dignity of the indigenous peoples who were here long before the colonization of the Americas began.”