White House Columbus statue installed near Eisenhower Executive Office Building

As of March 25, 2026, the White House Columbus statue stands near the Executive Office complex after the Trump administration placed a figure of Christopher Columbus early Sunday morning, a White House spokesman said, adding that “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero.”

The new sculpture was sited in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and officials said the piece was created from material linked to a torn-down Baltimore monument that had been recovered from the Inner Harbor. The administration’s announcement included a pledge that “President Trump will ensure he’s honored as such for generations to come.” Removal and replacement of Columbus monuments has been part of a wider movement since the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s death; statues of Columbus were taken down in several cities, including Boston, Richmond and Pittsburgh, and Baltimore’s statue was reportedly broken and thrown into the harbor. Chicago removed three Columbus monuments in 2020 and has a long local history of commemorations tied to its 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

The White House installation adds to a national debate over how public spaces memorialize historical figures and follows a period of municipal removals and public controversy. The action contrasts with city-led takedowns in multiple jurisdictions and underscores continuing disputes about monuments, historical memory and which figures are honored on public property.