Columbus Statue Returns to White House Grounds | Artforum News

A statue of Christopher Columbus was installed on the grounds of the White House on Sunday, March 22, 2026, a move described by the White House as honoring the explorer as a hero. The statue is positioned outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, according to a press release from the White House posted on X.

The statue is a replica of a monument that was toppled and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in July 2020 during protests following the death of George Floyd. The original statue’s destruction occurred amid a wave of nationwide demonstrations against institutional racism and the removal of monuments considered symbols of oppression. The new statue was constructed using pieces of the original monument retrieved from the harbor, and was rededicated by President Trump on October 13, 2025.

The statue is owned by the Italian American Organizations United, which agreed to loan it to the federal government for placement near the White House. John Pica, president of the organization, stated, “We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can peacefully shine and be protected.”

President Trump has consistently expressed a traditional view of Columbus, celebrating his 1492 voyage as the beginning of European presence in the Americas and the development of the modern economic and political order. This perspective contrasts with growing criticism of Columbus’s legacy, which recognizes his role in the conquest of the New World and the exploitation of native peoples. In a letter to Basil Russo, leader of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, Trump called Columbus “the original American hero and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the Earth.”

The statue, created by sculptor Will Hemsley of Centreville, Maryland, weighs one ton and stands 13 feet tall. The pedestal bears the inscription: “Destroyed July 4, 2020 … Resurrected 2022 … Rededicated by President Donald J. Trump, October 13, 2025.”

The installation of the statue follows a pattern of the Trump administration’s efforts to honor Columbus despite increasing controversy surrounding his historical legacy. The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations has not yet responded to requests for further comment.