GOP Sen. John Thune Roasted For Refusing To Celebrate Columbus Day
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was mocked by X users on Monday for not celebrating Columbus Day.
Thune posted a “Native American Day” tribute on X in an attempt to recognize their contributions to the United States.
“Today we celebrate Native American Day. I am proud to join South Dakotans in honoring the heritage and contributions of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota peoples,” he said in his message.
Today we celebrate Native American Day. I am proud to join South Dakotans in honoring the heritage and contributions of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota peoples. pic.twitter.com/YIVb51L53C
– Chef John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) October 13, 2025
This led to a wave of comments attacking Thune for posting a tribute to Native American tribes instead of the Genoese-born Christopher Columbus. (RELATED: DANIEL MCCARTHY: Columbus Day Celebrates Our Civilization)
“IT’S COLUMBUS DAY AND JOHN THUNE IS A female dog,” Raheem Kassam, a prominent political figure, said in response in a message to X.
IT’S COLUMBUS DAY AND JOHN THUNE IS A female dog. https://t.co/M0VeU6vcee
– Raheem J. Kassam (@RaheemKassam) October 13, 2025
“You don’t deserve to govern here. It’s late Columbus Day. If you don’t even know about our holidays, you have no place in power,” another user said.
Another X user criticized Thune for calling on Donald Trump to withdraw from the presidential race in 2016, when he first ran. “Donald Trump should step down and Mike Pence should be our nominee effective immediately,” Thune said in a message to X in 2016.
The senator previously said he was celebrating “Native American Day” in place of Columbus Day in honor of his state’s recognition of the role Native American tribes played in the region in a 2019 statement.
Trump said he was bringing Columbus Day “from the ashes” and criticized Democrats for being woke and tearing down statues of the famous explorer in an article published in Truth Social on April 27.
“I am resurrecting Columbus Day from the ashes. The Democrats have done everything they can to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation and all the Italians who love him so much. They have torn down his statues and erected only ‘WOKE’, or worse yet, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a comeback,” Trump said. “I hereby reinstate Columbus Day under the same rules, dates and locations as has been the case for all previous decades!”
The rest of the comments below Thune’s post are mostly filled with memes and criticism for not recognizing Columbus Day. As of now, he has not deleted his original post.
A spokesperson for Thune told the Daily Caller that South Dakota has celebrated “Native American Day” for 35 years and the senator recognizes it every year.
