Indigenous Activists Slam Trump’s Columbus Day Remarks, Vow to Keep Fighting for Recognition

 

U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest Columbus Day comments have reignited backlash from Indigenous communities, with activists calling his rhetoric a direct attack on their ongoing struggle for justice and historical recognition.

During a recent political rally, Trump doubled down on his support for celebrating Columbus Day over Indigenous Peoples’ Day, dismissing efforts to rename the holiday as part of what he called “woke erasure of American history.”

But for many Native American activists, his words are more than political theater  they represent a continuing denial of colonial violence and a reminder of the uphill battle they face for equal representation in the United States.

“Every year we are forced to defend our own existence,” said Ayita Rose, a Navajo rights advocate. “Columbus didn’t discover anything he brought genocide. And every time leaders like Trump glorify that legacy, they erase ours.”

Across social media and university campuses, Indigenous groups are renewing calls to abolish Columbus Day, push for federal recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and demand more education around the true history of colonization in the Americas.

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“We’re not asking for favors we’re asking for truth,” said Tohono O’odham youth leader Jacob Menendez. “Trump’s comments prove why we must keep fighting.”

Despite growing support for Indigenous Peoples’ Day in several U.S. states and cities, the federal government still officially recognizes Columbus Day a stance many see as outdated and harmful.

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With the 2024 U.S. elections in the rearview, Trump’s remarks are already shaping conversations about race, identity, and historical justice in American politics. And for Indigenous activists, the message is clear: the work is far from over.