Columbus Day, 2025

Proclamation 10980 of October 9, 2025

Columbus Day, 2025

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher
Columbus--the original American hero, a giant of
Western civilization, and one of the most gallant and
visionary men to ever walk the face of the earth. This
Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and
gratitude, and we pledge to reclaim his extraordinary
legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from
the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his
name and dishonor his memory.

Born in Genoa, Italy in 1451, Columbus quickly emerged
as a titan of the Age of Exploration. On August 3,
1492, following years of intense study, preparation,
and petitioning, Christopher Columbus secured funding
from the Spanish Crown to set out on a daring
expedition that most believed to be impossible.
Commissioned by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain,
Columbus and his crew boarded three small ships--the
Ni[ntilde]a, Pinta, and Santa Maria--to set sail on a
perilous voyage across the Atlantic. He was guided by a
noble mission: to discover a new trade route to Asia,
bring glory to Spain, and spread the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to distant lands.

Just over 2 months later, on October 12, 1492, Columbus
made landfall in the modern-day Bahamas. Upon his
arrival, he planted a majestic cross in a mighty act of
devotion, dedicating the land to God and setting in
motion America's proud birthright of faith. Though he
initially believed he had arrived in Asia, his
discovery opened the vast frontier and untold splendors
of the New World to Europe. He later ventured onward to
Cuba and other islands in the Caribbean--exploring
their coasts and engaging with their people.

Guided by steadfast prayer and unwavering fortitude and
resolve, Columbus's journey carried thousands of years
of wisdom, philosophy, reason, and culture across the
Atlantic into the Americas--paving the way for the
ultimate triumph of Western civilization less than
three centuries later on July 4, 1776.

Outrageously, in recent years, Christopher Columbus has
been a prime target of a vicious and merciless campaign
to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack
our heritage. Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals
toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments,
tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from
our public spaces. Under my leadership, those days are
finally over--and our Nation will now abide by a simple
truth: Christopher Columbus was a true American hero,
and every citizen is eternally indebted to his
relentless determination.

As we celebrate his legacy, we also acknowledge the
contributions of the countless Italian-Americans who,
like him, have endlessly contributed to our culture and
our way of life. To this day, the United States and
Italy share a special bond rooted in the timeless
values of faith, family, and freedom. My Administration
looks forward to strengthening our long and storied
friendship in the years to come.

This Columbus Day, more than 500 years since Columbus
arrived in the New World, we follow his example, we
echo his resolve, and we offer

our gratitude for his life of valor and grit. Above
all, we commit to restoring a Nation that once again
dares to tame the unknown, honors our rich cultural
inheritance, and offers rightful praise to our Creator
above.

In commemoration of Christopher Columbus's historic
voyage, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30,
1934, and modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), as amended,
has requested the President proclaim the second Monday
of October of each year as ``Columbus Day.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 13, 2025, as
Columbus Day. I call upon the people of the United
States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies
and activities. I also direct that the flag of the
United States be displayed on all public buildings on
the appointed day in honor of the great Christopher
Columbus and all who have contributed to building our
Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.