Columbus statue replica installed outside the White House, reviving a national debate

A 13-foot replica of Christopher Columbus, toppled in Baltimore during the 2020 protests, has been installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds. The installation, brought to Washington by the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations with White House involvement, is part of Trump-era efforts to reinstall statues removed after the Floyd protests and to honor Italian American heritage ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary. The statue sits near the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery and is fenced off from close public viewing.