[Global Times Report by Zhou Yang] President Trump, in his first term, had told then-Representative Kris Kristofferson of South Dakota that his “dream” was to have his portrait carved onto Mount Rushmore, also known as the “Presidential Mountain.” This idea resurfaced after Trump returned to the White House in January this year. According to a recent report by The New York Times, many experts have warned that it is unlikely for Trump’s dream to become a reality.
It was reported that during his first term, Trump had spoken with Kristofferson and expressed his desire for his portrait to be carved onto Mount Rushmore one day. In response, Kristofferson gifted Trump a model of Mount Rushmore, which bore his face. This year, after Trump began his second term, Congresswoman Anna Luna introduced a bill draft demanding that Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum arrange for the carving of Trump’s portrait on Mount Rushmore. The draft was subsequently submitted to the House Committee on Natural Resources, but to date, no action has been taken to advance the bill. In March this year, Burgum stated in an interview with Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump that there was “absolutely room” for Trump’s portrait on Mount Rushmore.
The four former presidents whose portraits are carved on Mount Rushmore are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The Daily Mail UK reported that Trump’s desire to join them would cause significant controversy, but theoretically, he could request his government to take action. It was mentioned that as a subsidiary agency of the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service directly manages Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park.
The institution has now rejected any plans to add new statues, stating in a declaration: “Mount Rushmore itself is an already completed artwork. Moreover, the sculptural portion of Mount Rushmore has been thoroughly evaluated, and there are no additional areas for additional carving.”
Some American experts have warned that any new statue could potentially damage the existing four portraits of former presidents. It has been reported that since 1989, experts have assessed the stability of Mount Rushmore’s rocks and marked 144 cracks and other unstable points on the surfaces and surrounding areas of the four statues. In 1998, a network of measuring instruments was installed on Mount Rushmore to monitor cracks and rock blocks. “One concern with adding a new statue is that it might activate these cracks,” said geotechnical engineer Paul Nelson. “If new statues damage the rock mass, it could also damage the existing structure.” Nelson also mentioned that carving a new face on Mount Rushmore would be “extremely difficult even if possible.”
Dan Wink, who served as the manager of Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park from 1985 to 2001, stated: “You wouldn’t add another face on Mount Rushmore, just as you wouldn’t add a new face to Da Vinci’s Last Supper.” The granddaughter of sculptor Bob Geller, who oversaw the presidential statue carving at Mount Rushmore, believes that Mount Rushmore is not suitable for either Trump or any living former president. She said: “Mount Rushmore is considered a tribute to America’s ideals.”
According to the Associated Press, as a potential alternative, the Republican Party in South Dakota is vigorously promoting the construction of a “United States Heroes National Garden” near Mount Rushmore, proposed by Trump, to form an integrated scenic area with Mount Rushmore. However, this initiative has faced strong opposition from local Native American communities.