This new statue is made from parts of another one that protesters threw into the Baltimore harbor during the 2020 racial justice protests.
The Trump administration worked with Italian-American organizations to bring this statue to Washington as part of celebrating Italian-American heritage and the 250th anniversary of the United States.
These organizations say Columbus is a source of pride for over 18 million Americans of Italian descent, and President Trump has also praised his 1492 voyage.
However, the move has sparked mixed reactions. In 2020, many Columbus statues were vandalized due to his treatment of Indigenous peoples and his role in initiating European colonization in the Americas.
The statue at the White House is currently surrounded by a fence, making it difficult for the public to clearly view it from outside.
This initiative is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to restore controversial historical monuments that were damaged during protests.
