Trump campaign bashes ‘radical leftist’ Kamala Harris over Columbus Day comments
The Trump campaign accused Vice President Kamala Harris of wanting to “cancel American traditions,” citing comments she made in 2019 supporting efforts to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
“Kamala Harris is a classic leftist. She not only wants to raise taxes and defund the police, but also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day,” said Caroline, the Trump campaign's national press secretary. Leavitt spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital.
“President Trump will ensure that the great legacy of Christopher Columbus is honored and will protect this holiday from radical leftists like Kamala Harris who seek to erase our nation's history.”
Leavitt was referring to Harris' 2019 comments when speaking to voters in New Hampshire, about a month after her ultimately unsuccessful 2020 White House bid.
Footage from the event showed Harris responding to a voter question asking if she supported renaming Columbus Day to “Indigenous Peoples Day,” saying, “Support me.”
In her response to New Hampshire voters, Harris cited her role in helping author a recent bill that would make lynching a federal crime.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally at Findlay Toyota Arena in Prescott Valley, Arizona, October 13, 2024. AFP (via Getty Images)
“People accepted and didn't want to accept that we were the scene of a crime in terms of what we did in this country with regards to slavery and Jim Crow and institutionalized racism. I “We have to be honest about it,'' she said. The Washington Times reported in 2019. “If we're not honest, we're not going to address the vestiges of that harm, we're not going to get back on track, and we're not going to be true to our values and morals.”
“Likewise, we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to Native Americans, or indigenous peoples. I appreciate and commend your points and efforts, and I trust you will support me. ” she said. Her support for renaming the holiday.
Columbus Day is a federal holiday that officially celebrates and recognizes the arrival of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. This year it is celebrated on Monday.
On October 13, 2024, Kamala Harris, vice president of the United States and Democratic presidential candidate, held a campaign rally at Williams Arena in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Stan Gilliland/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Activists have worked in recent years to separate the day from Columbus Day in favor of celebrating Native Americans, arguing that it celebrates colonialism and the genocide of Native Americans. Activists are also working to remove Columbus statues from cities, including toppling one during the 2020 riots.
President Biden became the first president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021, but states are taking different approaches to how the day is celebrated.
In 2021, Harris' first year as vice president, she said the United States “must not shun” its “shameful past” in which European explorers brought “waves of devastation to tribal nations.” .
Workers remove the Christopher Columbus statue from the Broad Street side of Columbus City Hall on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. AP
“Since 1934, the United States has recognized the voyage of the first European explorer to land on the shores of the Americas every October,” she said. “But that’s not all. That wasn’t all.
“Those explorers brought waves of devastation to tribal nations, committing violence, stealing land, and spreading disease,” she said.
“We must not run away from this shameful past and must do all we can to shine a light on it and address its impact on Indigenous communities today.”
On Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate the valuable contributions of tribal nations and indigenous peoples. Their wisdom, ingenuity, and leadership in all areas have made our nation stronger and richer. https://t.co/k2plUzE7bB
On Indigenous Peoples Day, we honor the history of tribal nations and indigenous peoples. Today and every day, let us continue to celebrate and uplift the rich contributions of Indigenous peoples. Their leadership has made our country strong.
Indigenous peoples have protected their lands, languages, knowledge and traditions for generations.
On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we celebrate these many contributions and recommit ourselves to working in partnership with Indigenous peoples to ensure that their communities thrive for generations to come.
An examination of Ms. Harris' X account from when she became vice president reveals that she has celebrated only Indigenous Peoples Day, not Columbus Day, every year since taking office.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on her earlier statements and Levitt's comments, but did not immediately receive a response.
Trump campaign bashes ‘radical leftist’ Kamala Harris over Columbus Day comments
The Trump campaign accused Vice President Kamala Harris of wanting to “cancel American traditions,” citing comments she made in 2019 supporting efforts to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
“Kamala Harris is a classic leftist. She not only wants to raise taxes and defund the police, but also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day,” said Caroline, the Trump campaign's national press secretary. Leavitt spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital.
“President Trump will ensure that the great legacy of Christopher Columbus is honored and will protect this holiday from radical leftists like Kamala Harris who seek to erase our nation's history.”
Leavitt was referring to Harris' 2019 comments when speaking to voters in New Hampshire, about a month after her ultimately unsuccessful 2020 White House bid.
Footage from the event showed Harris responding to a voter question asking if she supported renaming Columbus Day to “Indigenous Peoples Day,” saying, “Support me.”
In her response to New Hampshire voters, Harris cited her role in helping author a recent bill that would make lynching a federal crime.
“People accepted and didn't want to accept that we were the scene of a crime in terms of what we did in this country with regards to slavery and Jim Crow and institutionalized racism. I “We have to be honest about it,'' she said. The Washington Times reported in 2019. “If we're not honest, we're not going to address the vestiges of that harm, we're not going to get back on track, and we're not going to be true to our values and morals.”
“Likewise, we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to Native Americans, or indigenous peoples. I appreciate and commend your points and efforts, and I trust you will support me. ” she said. Her support for renaming the holiday.
Columbus Day is a federal holiday that officially celebrates and recognizes the arrival of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. This year it is celebrated on Monday.
Activists have worked in recent years to separate the day from Columbus Day in favor of celebrating Native Americans, arguing that it celebrates colonialism and the genocide of Native Americans. Activists are also working to remove Columbus statues from cities, including toppling one during the 2020 riots.
President Biden became the first president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021, but states are taking different approaches to how the day is celebrated.
In 2021, Harris' first year as vice president, she said the United States “must not shun” its “shameful past” in which European explorers brought “waves of devastation to tribal nations.” .
“Since 1934, the United States has recognized the voyage of the first European explorer to land on the shores of the Americas every October,” she said. “But that’s not all. That wasn’t all.
“Those explorers brought waves of devastation to tribal nations, committing violence, stealing land, and spreading disease,” she said.
“We must not run away from this shameful past and must do all we can to shine a light on it and address its impact on Indigenous communities today.”
An examination of Ms. Harris' X account from when she became vice president reveals that she has celebrated only Indigenous Peoples Day, not Columbus Day, every year since taking office.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment on her earlier statements and Levitt's comments, but did not immediately receive a response.
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