The Trump campaign has criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing her of trying to “cancel American traditions” due to her support for renaming Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. “Kamala Harris is your stereotypical leftist. Not only does she want to raise taxes and defund the police – she also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day,” said Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital.
Leavitt added that “President Trump will make sure Christopher Columbus’ great legacy is honored and protect this holiday from radical leftists who want to erase our nation’s history like Kamala Harris.”
This criticism stems from comments Harris made in 2019 during her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. While speaking to a voter in New Hampshire, Harris expressed her support for renaming Columbus Day, saying, “Count me in on support,” when asked about the change. Harris also referenced legislation she co-sponsored, making lynching a federal crime, to highlight the importance of addressing historical wrongs like slavery, Jim Crow, and institutionalized racism.
She further commented, “Similarly, when it comes to indigenous Americans, the indigenous people, there is a lot of work that we still have to do… count me in on support,” signaling her stance on renaming the holiday.
Columbus Day, which commemorates Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492, has faced increasing criticism from activists who argue that it celebrates colonialism and the genocide of indigenous people. Statues of Columbus have been removed or defaced in cities, particularly following the protests of 2020.
In 2021, President Biden became the first U.S. president to formally recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, although states have taken different approaches to the holiday. During her first year as vice president, Harris emphasized the need to confront the nation’s “shameful past,” noting that European explorers like Columbus brought “devastation for tribal nations.”
A review of Harris’ social media accounts shows that as vice president, she has exclusively celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day over Columbus Day each year.
