Trump Mocked for Pledge to ’Bring Back’ Columbus Day That Never Disappeared

By Staff, Agencies

President Donald Trump faced ridicule on Sunday after pledging to "bring back" Columbus Day — a holiday that has never been abolished.

Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump made several statements over the weekend, including one promising bad news for some of his Republican allies.

In another post, he declared, "I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes," accusing Democrats of attempting to destroy Christopher Columbus’s legacy and that of Italian Americans who honor him.

"The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much. They tore down his statues and put up nothing but 'WOKE,' or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback," Trump wrote. "I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!"

However, Axios quickly issued a "reality check," noting that Columbus Day remains a federal holiday. The outlet explained that a president cannot unilaterally eliminate or reinstate federal holidays without congressional approval. Although Indigenous Peoples Day has replaced Columbus Day in more than 200 cities and several states, Columbus Day itself still exists at the federal level.

Several commentators responded with mockery. PatriotTakes, a group that monitors right-wing extremism, quipped, "He was never here."

Political strategist Chris D. Jackson remarked, "The fact is, Columbus Day never went anywhere," adding, "But if I had approval ratings like you, I'd want to talk about anything else besides that too," in a post on X.

Another account, Turnbull, jokingly wagered, "I have $20 that he can’t name Columbus’s three ships."

Meanwhile, liberal influencer Auntie Smartassy poked fun at Trump's confusion, writing, "Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since 1937. Is gramps having an episode?"