In Washington, a federal building, naval battleships, and an airport in Palm Beach bear Donald Trump’s name. No honor compares to a likeness on Mount Rushmore. Trump’s supporters understand this honor isn’t feasible for him.
Trump visited Mount Rushmore before the nation’s 250th Independence anniversary. He spoke under the images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. However, rain and hail forced visitors into the site’s cafeteria.
Would Trump desire a place among these figures? During his first term, Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota said Trump expressed this wish. In 2018, Noem, who served as Trump’s homeland security secretary, recounted laughing at Trump’s comment. To her surprise, Trump remained serious.
Noem later presented Trump with a 4-foot-high Mount Rushmore model including his image. Reports emerged in 2020, suggesting Trump aides inquired about adding faces to the monument. Trump denied the claim but mentioned on social media that such an addition could be justified by his record.
Congressional approval is needed to add a face to Mount Rushmore, yet the mountain itself presents challenges. The mountain lacks suitable rock for a new sculpture. Lead sculptor Gutzon Borglum described stone limitations as early as 1927-1941.
Sen. Mike Rounds stated geologists have confirmed the lack of good rock on the mountain. Even considering Ronald Reagan was unfeasible. Yet, hope persists. Following his inauguration, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced a bill to carve Trump’s likeness. However, it didn’t pass beyond the House Natural Resources Committee.
Luna found other ways to honor Trump, nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize. South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden suggested if space emerged on the mountain, Trump or Reagan fit the monument. Rounds, noncommittal, expressed the decision rests with America.
A key narrative of Trump’s second term is his legacy. His idea contrasts with critics, while courts often decide. Trump loyalists added his name to the Kennedy Center board, with a judge later ordering its removal. His name remains on the U.S. Institute of Peace Building in Washington.
At the Independence Day event, Trump supporter Mike Pack deemed Trump deserving of the mountaintop. Wearing a MAGA hat, Pack praised Trump’s effort to unite. Meanwhile, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln impersonators on-site preferred the monument stay unchanged. Both historical figures agreed the current monument suffices.
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