President Donald Trump has once again sparked public discussion about the possibility of his image being added to Mount Rushmore, following a series of actions during the nation's America 250 celebration on Friday. The President shared an AI-generated video featuring his face alongside the four existing presidents on the iconic monument, an act complemented by a supportive statement from the White House and unique commemorative items served aboard Air Force One.
"There would be no better addition to the iconic Mount Rushmore than the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump." — White House statement
The events unfolded as President Trump traveled to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota to deliver remarks commemorating the United States' 250th anniversary. Before addressing the crowd, President Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social. The video depicted a gold-colored version of Mount Rushmore with his face prominently carved next to Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. A voiceover in the video, attributed to President Trump, stated, "I will be the greatest president for many, many years to come. And we’re gonna have a lot of fun tonight."
The theme of a "fifth president" extended to the presidential aircraft. Cookies served to members of the First Family and traveling reporters on Air Force One featured an image of President Trump carved into Mount Rushmore, positioned beside the four historical figures already depicted. These cookies were inscribed with the text, "Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Black Hills, South Dakota. Five Presidents." Photos of these distinct treats were shared on social media by Bettina Trump, the President's daughter-in-law, and also noted by CNN White House correspondent Betsy Klein.
Further fueling the speculation, the White House issued a statement to reporters that appeared to endorse the idea. The statement read, "There would be no better addition to the iconic Mount Rushmore than the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump." Despite these public gestures and remarks, the administration has not announced any official proposal or plan to alter the national monument, which is managed by the National Park Service.
President Trump has a long history of engaging with the idea of his inclusion on Mount Rushmore. As far back as 2018, then-Representative Kristi Noem (R-SD) reportedly stated that President Trump had expressed to her his "dream" of having his likeness added to the memorial. In 2019, when directly asked about the possibility, President Trump responded, "If I answer that question, ‘Yes,’ I will end up with such bad publicity." The following year, after reports emerged that he had privately raised the idea with aides, President Trump denied making the suggestion but added, considering his accomplishments, it "sounds like a good idea to me!" During a 2017 campaign rally, he also humorously predicted that merely mentioning the possibility would generate headlines claiming he believed he belonged on the monument.
The President's Friday appearance and related activities occur amidst his involvement in several high-profile projects concerning historic landmarks in Washington, D.C., including renovations to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and restoration work at the Lincoln Memorial. During his speech delivered beneath Mount Rushmore, President Trump reflected on the enduring legacy of the four presidents already immortalized there. He praised their significance in American history, stating, "Their faces are engraved on these bluffs, not only because of what they did, but to remind us forever who we are. These heroes exemplify what is timeless, enduring, eternal about the American character — and in the end it has always been that character, our distinct and unique identity."
While the White House's comments and President Trump's social media post have renewed public discourse, Mount Rushmore has remained unchanged since its completion in 1941. Any alteration to such a significant national monument would typically involve a complex and extensive process, requiring broad consensus and official approval from various governmental and historical bodies.
