President Donald Trump has used Columbus Day and Leif Erickson Day celebrations to whitewash historical events, including a reference to a reference popular among white supremacists.
In his Columbus Day ProclamationIn a post Thursday, Trump praised Christopher Columbus as “one of the most valiant and far-sighted men who ever walked the earth” while complaining about “left-wing arsonists who sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory.”
The proclamation also claims that Columbus was “the primary target of a vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes and attack our heritage.”
Signing the proclamation during a televised Cabinet meeting, Trump said“We're back, Italians! We love Italians!” Of course, Columbus Day is here to stay.
Proclamation ignores mass death and suffering this was key to Columbus's mission on behalf of the imperial forces. Historical records show that as part of his exploration of the Americas, Columbus kidnapped and enslaved members of the Arawak tribe.
Describing the actions of the Spaniards in the New World, the priest Bartolomé de las Casas wrote: “Our work was to irritate, devastate, kill, maim and destroy; so it would not be surprising if they tried to kill one of us from time to time.” He also said that the Spaniards “didn't think of cutting up the Indians with dozens and twenty knives and cutting slices off them to test the sharpness of their blades.”
Conservatives have long sought to minimize the severity of Columbus's historical actions, preferring instead children's tales of the explorers.
Likewise, in his proclamation In “Leif Erickson Day,” also released Thursday, Trump hails Erickson as “driven by his deep Christian faith” and as a man who spread “exciting news about uncivilized nations.” The proclamation also mentions “Vinland”, an area of North America colonized by the Norwegians.
A nod to Viking heritage and references to Vinland was a touchstone white supremacist movements. In 2017, a white supremacist who stabbed and killed two people from Oregon recently wrote on Facebook: “Glory to Vinland!!! Glory to Victory!!!”
Vinland has been called a supposed white outpost in early America, ignoring the long-thriving Native American communities that had long settled in the region. Raising Vinland is a path to rewriting history, erasing the cultural heritage of non-white residents.
The proclamations are not written in Trump's usual language and are more reminiscent of the work of White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller. Miller spent years defending white supremacist ideas and rhetoric, culminating in his current role overseeing the mass deportation of migrants with a focus on Latino communities.
Unlike Trump, former President Biden used his 2024 declaration for Columbus Day, not to lavish praise on Columbus, but to celebrate the contributions of Italian Americans throughout the country's history.
Biden also did not include any white supremacist dog whistles in his Leif Erickson Day proclamation. Instead of, Biden welcomed “The history and heritage of the Scandinavian communities in the United States, whose contributions and culture helped shape our nation.”
Moreover, Biden published proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, an alternative holiday held on the same day as Columbus. Biden explained: “The history of America's Native peoples is marked by perseverance, survival, and a deep commitment and pride in their heritage, right to self-government, and way of life.”
As of this writing, Trump has not recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day.
