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President Donald trump defended the Federal holiday of Christopher Columbus and gave a shout out to mother Frances Cabrini during a reception celebrating Italian heritage with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday night.

Trump said that while he is around, the national holiday honoring the Italian Explorer will not be replaced by indigenous peoples Day, which is supported by Democratic presidential candidates including Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.

“On Monday, our nation honored the legendary achievements of a fearless Italian Explorer: Christopher Columbus,” trump said to applause during a white house reception.

“And today, from Columbus Circle – and you know all about Columbus Circle. We love Columbus Circle in new York. And Columbus, Ohio, what a beautiful place. For our nation’s capital, the district of Columbia, his memory is an enduring Testament to the brave spirit that built our great civilization,” the President said.

“And as long as I have something to say about it – and I hope it will be for a long time – it will always be Columbus Day,” trump said to thunderous cheers.

A monument honoring the Navigator in Columbus Circle – who survived an attempt to remove it – was listed on the national register of historic places last year.

Mayor bill de Blasio has formed a Committee to decide whether some monuments and artwork in the city should remain or go after Confederate monuments are removed or relocated in the South.

The Committee spared the statue of Columbus, which critics said celebrated the Explorer whose “discovery” of North America contributed to deadly epidemics, genocide and the enslavement of indigenous peoples and Africans.

But the mayor said the Columbus statue would be altered to include a reference to the negative side of his exploits.

While rattled by the names of Italian-American icons and their contributions to the United States, trump also mentioned mother Frances Cabrini, a Catholic immigrant Saint. Italian-American activists in the city were outraged by first lady Chirlane mccray’s decision not to include a statue of Cabrini in a project honoring historically significant new York women.