[Global Times Report by Zhou Yang] President Trump, in his first term, had told the then-Representative of South Dakota, Kris Kristofferson, that his “dream” was to have his portrait carved on Mount Rushmore, also known as “The President’s 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 reality.
During his first presidency, Trump had spoken with Kristofferson and expressed his desire for his portrait to be carved on 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, Anna Luna, a Congresswoman from the House of Representatives, introduced a bill draft demanding that Secretary of the Interior, Todd Bossuet, arrange for the carving of Trump’s portrait on Mount Rushmore. The draft was subsequently submitted to the House Committee on Natural Resources, but as of now, no action has been taken to advance the bill. In March this year, during an interview with Trump’s daughter-in-law, Laura Trump, Bossuet mentioned 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 is reported that as an agency under 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 and stated in a declaration, “Mount Rushmore itself is an already completed artwork. Moreover, the sculptural portion of Mount Rushmore has been thoroughly evaluated, with no additional space for additional carving.”
Some American experts have warned that any new statue could potentially damage the existing portraits of the four former presidents. It was reported that since 1989, experts have assessed the stability of the rocks at Mount Rushmore 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 Paul Nelson, an engineer specializing in geotechnical engineering. “If the new statue damages the rock mass, it could potentially destroy the existing structure.” Nelson also mentioned that carving a new face on Mount Rushmore would be “extremely difficult even if possible.”
Dan Winker, who served as the manager of Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park from 1985 to 2001, said, “You wouldn’t add another face to Mount Rushmore, just as you wouldn’t add a new face to Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper.'” The granddaughter of sculptor Borgelt, who oversaw the presidential statue carving work on Mount Rushmore, believes that Mount Rushmore is not suitable for either Trump or any living former president. She stated, “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 “American 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 groups.