House Republican Andy Ogles of Tennessee has asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to “put Trump on Mt. Rushmore,” the South Dakota-based national memorial celebrating four iconic presidents, to mark his “recent achievements,” and it is not the first time someone has suggested the addition.
Newsweek contacted Representative Ogles for comment on Friday via email outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Ogles’ proposal indicates the strength of grassroots Republican loyalty to President Trump, with a survey conducted between June 23 and 26 finding 79 percent of registered GOP voters approve of his performance. However, this was down from 86 percent in March.
The National Park Service has previously said that any fresh carvings on Mount Rushmore would be impractical, and any official move to add Trump would almost certainly spark serious opposition.
What To Know
Ogles sent a letter to Burgum, a copy of which was seen by The Hill, on Thursday, urging him to “explore the addition” of Trump’s sculpture to Mount Rushmore to recognize the president’s “accomplishments in restoring American greatness.”
The Tennessee Republican added that such a move would have the “benefits of elevating the dignity and relevance of the site, thus increasing both its grandeur and its visitor traffic, will accrue to South Dakota, the Lakota Sioux, and the broader area.”
In an X, formerly Twitter, post also made on Thursday, Ogles said: “I’m asking Secretary Burgum to put Trump on Mt. Rushmore.
“Given the scale and scope of President Trump’s recent achievements—especially the impending enactment of the Big Beautiful Bill, the historic act that will ignite America’s Golden Age—it is essential that we immortalize President Trump’s likeness on Mount Rushmore.”
Rep. Andy Ogles/X
Thursday saw the House approve Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ in a 218 vs 214 vote, meaning the president will now be able to sign it into law as it narrowly passed the Senate earlier this week.
The package includes tax cuts, additional funding for border security and the military, cuts to Medicaid and food stamps and a $5 trillion increase in the U.S. debt ceiling.
Mount Rushmore was constructed in South Dakota’s Black Hills between 1927 and 1941 and features head sculptures of iconic presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
The site is controversial as it was taken from the Sioux Nation illegally, and in the 1980s, the Supreme Court ordered the federal government to pay $105 million in compensation.
In January, Florida House Republican Anna Paulina Luna announced a bill calling for Trump to be added to Mount Rushmore, though it didn’t proceed to a hearing.
What People Are Saying
Speaking to Newsweek, a Department of the Interior spokesperson said: “While we do not comment on congressional correspondence through the media, the Department of the Interior takes all correspondence from Congress seriously and carefully reviews each matter. Should there be any updates on this topic, we will provide further information at the appropriate time.”
In his X post, Ogles added: “Like Washington, Trump did not seek his position for glory but out of love for his country, championing American independence and reshaping the presidency with dynamism, clarity, and purpose.
“Like Jefferson, he expanded America’s horizons by pursuing new frontiers and breaking away from deep state tyrants.
“Like Teddy Roosevelt, Trump took on entrenched interests, reinvigorated American industry, and avenged the working class against bureaucratic bloat and corporate corruption.
“The legacy of Mount Rushmore cannot remain frozen in stone; it must evolve to reflect the full arc of American history, including its most recent and transformative chapter.”
Speaking to the Black Hill Pioneer newspaper in 2020, Mount Rushmore National Memorial Chief of Interpretation and Education Maureen McGee-Ballinger said: “The rock that surrounds the sculpted faces is not suitable for additional carving.”
What Happens Next
There is no indication that the federal government has any immediate plans to add Trump to Mount Rushmore, and any such move would almost certainly spark controversy and legal challenges.
Update 7/5/25, 4:16 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from a Department of the Interior spokesperson.
