President Trump took a swipe Wednesday at politically correct efforts to rename the Columbus Day federal holiday.
“For me, it will always be called Columbus Day. Some people don’t like that — I do,” Mr. Trump said at a White House press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Although Columbus undertook his voyages that discovered the Americas on behalf of Spain, he was from the Italian city-state of Genoa and Columbus Day is also marked by Italian-Americans as a heritage celebration.
At least eight states and 130 cities have legally changed the holiday, usually blaming the explorer for genocide against American Indians and the colonization of the Americas by European powers.
Washington, D.C., this week recognized “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” instead of Columbus Day after the D.C. Council passed emergency legislation to rename the federal holiday.
Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the legislation in time for it to go into effect for the holiday. But it would require congressional approval to become permanent.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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