Trump vows to defend Columbus legacy and accuses Michigan Senate candidate of seeking to abolish holiday

President Donald Trump said on Friday he would protect the legacy of Christopher Columbus and accused Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El‑Sayed of wanting to abolish Columbus Day during a Columbus Day celebration in the East Room of the White House.

Trump framed the issue as a battle between the United States and “radical left communists” who, he said, “hate Columbus” and are trying “very hard” to erase the holiday. He referred to the Senate candidate as “Mohammed Al Fayad,” noting that some call him Abdul, and repeated that El‑Sayed wants the holiday eliminated.

“As you know, the radical left communists hate Columbus, and they want to abolish Columbus Day. They’re still trying very hard,” Trump said. “You know this guy, I call him Mohammed Al Fayad… But he wants to abolish Columbus Day… Can you believe it?”

He pledged that the administration would ensure Columbus’s legacy remains “protected, like nobody’s ever been protected before,” and said the same protection would extend to other historic figures whose statues have been targeted, naming Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

The remarks followed a series of actions by the Trump administration to elevate Columbus Day, including a presidential proclamation earlier in the year that set Oct. 12 as the official celebration date and the placement of a Columbus statue in the White House’s Rose Garden.

Political analysts note that the comments arrive amid a heated campaign season, with the November 2026 elections looming and cultural debates over historical monuments continuing to shape national discourse.

Trump’s statements are expected to become part of the broader dialogue in Michigan’s Senate race and the nationwide conversation about how America commemorates its past.