Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – To the tunes of Frank Sinatra and with refreshments that included prosciutto and melon among the dishes served in the East Room, the White House was transformed this Friday into the theater of a true celebration of Italian-American identity. This event, organized to celebrate Columbus Day, immediately took on the character of a decisive strategic and cultural shift ahead of the upcoming elections for the United States Congress.
Donald Trump, in effect, has chosen to assume the role of champion of historical memory, bringing Christopher Columbus back to the center of public discourse and proclaiming him, without hesitation, "the original American hero." This powerful investiture is designed to warm the hearts of a massive electoral base—comprising over twenty million US citizens with Italian roots—that the tycoon has always considered among the most solid pillars of his support base.
The Republican leader's speech mixed anecdotes, claims, and witticisms. "I probably got almost all of the votes of the Italian community," Trump began, before a room packed with supporters and institutional representatives. "There's a deep affection for Italian Americans, and that's precisely why I'm here today, dedicating more time to you than expected, rather than making my usual quick appearance."
The core of his speech focused on defending the figure of the Genoese explorer, who in recent years has been at the center of heated social controversy and removal orders by various local administrations.
"We have given new life to the memory of Christopher Columbus," the president proudly stated. "It had reached the point where mentioning him had become taboo, almost as if he were a figure of pure evil. Today we are very proud."
Since 2020, the figure of the Genoese explorer has been at the center of heated controversy linked to historical revisionism movements, which have questioned his role in the early colonial era and his impact on native populations, leading several local governments to replace the anniversary with the Day of Indigenous Peoples. In contrast, Trump has expressed his desire to reverse this trend, celebrating Columbus as an iconic figure unfairly penalized by recent public debate. According to the American leader, the wave of historical revisionism of recent years has offended the sensibilities of the Italian-American community, without the institutions intervening to defend them. "Italian Americans were deeply outraged, but no one lifted a finger. In the end, they understood that we were the ones who took the initiative. The true patriots of this country have always shown respect for this extraordinary navigator, who, in all respects, can be considered the first true Italian-American in history."
The festive atmosphere was further enhanced by a musical interlude performed by tenor Christopher Macchio, a key voice at Trump events, who sang everything from the American national anthem to "Nessun Dorma." This performance also provided the tycoon with an opportunity to recall his personal friendship with Luciano Pavarotti and announce new monumental initiatives: after the statue erected last March near the Eisenhower Building, the White House is preparing to unveil a second monument to Columbus, likely destined for the Rose Garden. This symbolic move parallels Trump's expressed desire to see the statue of the navigator return to the city center of Columbus, Ohio, where it had previously been removed.
The event was also attended by Italy's Ambassador to the United States, Marco Peronaci, who highlighted the diplomatic and cultural significance of the event. For the Italian diplomatic representation, the path initiated by Washington is not only a means of countering the excesses of cancel culture, but also a key lever for strengthening solidarity between the two sides of the Atlantic. And, with a view to the G-20, Peronaci did not confirm whether a possible meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the American might take place, but he told Adnkronos: "Now we must enjoy this week, these days of Italian-American passion, in which Italy is recognized here as a beloved community. Have you seen what Trump said about the New York communities? And this, in my opinion, will also give us the ability to be protagonists in a wave of new and significant investments by our companies in this market."
And he observed: "The valorization of classical roots and the Italian-American contribution translates into a reaffirmation of the transatlantic community and the West. In an increasingly unstable and challenging global context, Italy and the United States are called to move together, confirming the Atlantic Ocean as a space of shared values and common strength."
Beyond the East Room event, the initiative responded to a specific electoral calculation geared toward upcoming congressional elections. The Italian-American community numbers between 16 and 18 million citizens and is a compact social bloc that, in recent decades, has seen a progressive shift to the right. With over 50% of the vote historically leaning toward Trump's political model, this segment of voters represents a crucial constituency that the tycoon intends to mobilize and retain, focusing on identity-based arguments and the defense of ethnic pride. The strategic weight of Italian-Americans lies primarily in their high demographic concentration in key battleground states, crucial to the political balance of power in Washington. In high-density states like Pennsylvania—where the community represents over 12% of the electorate—as well as in Ohio and Wisconsin, a few tens of thousands of votes can make a difference.
Leveraging the preservation of traditional holidays, working-class values, and his closeness to historic community organizations, Trump has transformed the battle over Columbus's memory into a key tool for identity cohesion and electoral consensus. "As for why I get all the Italian votes... I truly believe I did it for this reason alone: I brought Christopher Columbus back to life," Donald Trump said with great pride. "He has been fully rehabilitated, truly reborn, and back where he belongs." (by Iacopo Luzi)
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