A replica Christopher Columbus statue was installed overnight on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, facing Pennsylvania Avenue, near the White House. This action follows the toppling of a similar statue in Baltimore during 2020 racial justice protests. The marble fragments of the original were retrieved from the harbor and used to guide the creation of the new monument. White House spokesman Davis Ingle declared the installation a victory, stating President Trump would ensure Columbus 'is honored as such for generations to come.' This move signals a deliberate effort to reverse the trend of removing controversial historical figures from public spaces.

The replica's creation involved significant effort. A Maryland artist used scans of the salvaged marble pieces to craft the new statue, a project funded by a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities during President Trump's first term. The statue's placement on federal property arose during discussions about the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence celebrations. Basil Russo, leader of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, brokered the transfer, highlighting the statue's importance to Italian American heritage groups who view it as a symbol of ethnic pride.

Opponents of the statue's reinstatement emphasize Columbus's role as a slave trader and the brutal subjugation of Indigenous peoples. The installation represents a partisan battleground, according to former White House Historical Association chief historian Edward Lengel, who noted the Trump administration's efforts to reshape the White House grounds, including plans for a new ballroom. The move reignites debates over historical commemoration and the political motivations behind placing the statue on federal land.