White House Statue Plan Echoes ‘The Sopranos’ Dialogue
The White House is reportedly planning to install a statue of Christopher Columbus on the south side of the White House grounds, a move that has drawn attention for its apparent echo of a famous scene from the HBO series The Sopranos. According to multiple sources, the statue is a reconstruction of one previously unveiled by Ronald Reagan and later removed from Baltimore harbor during the George Floyd protests in 2020.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle stated, “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero,” a declaration that closely mirrors a line delivered by the character Tony Soprano in a 2002 episode of the show. In the episode, titled “Christopher,” Tony defends Columbus against criticism from his son, A.J., who learns in school about the explorer’s role in the colonization and exploitation of the Americas. Tony emphatically declares, “In this house, Christopher Columbus is a hero – end of story!”
The scene from The Sopranos has become iconic, highlighting themes of identity, mythology, and ideology. The show’s episode also featured a discussion among Tony’s crew about Columbus, including acknowledgement of the violence inflicted upon Indigenous peoples. One character, Christopher, noted, “You gotta admit they did get massacred, the Indians,” while another, Silvio, responded by pointing to later efforts to compensate Indigenous communities, stating, “It’s not like we didn’t give them a bunch of shit to make up for that… Land. Reservations. And now they got the casinos.”
The historical perception of Columbus has undergone a significant shift in recent decades. While initially celebrated as a national hero who established European contact with the Americas in 1492, historians have increasingly focused on the devastating consequences of his voyages for Indigenous populations. By the 1990s, scholars began reframing Columbus’ legacy, portraying him as a figure responsible for the genocide of Indigenous peoples.
The reconstruction of the statue was funded by Italian American businessmen and politicians, working with local sculptors, and supported by both local charities and federal grant funding, according to reports. President Trump pledged during his second presidential campaign to protect and celebrate Columbus Day, and in October signed a proclamation recognizing Columbus as “the original American hero.”
As of , neither the White House nor David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, had responded to requests for comment regarding the connection between the statue plan and the television series.
The installation of the statue comes amid ongoing debate about historical figures and monuments. According to a report from Purdue University, monuments and statues of figures like Christopher Columbus have become focal points of controversy and protest.
In Napoli, there is reported dissatisfaction with the historical portrayal of Columbus, according to a Facebook post from April 27, 2025. The post alleges that “Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
