WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) – A bold new proposal is making headlines after a group of supporters called for President Donald J. Trump’s likeness to be added to Mount Rushmore, citing what they describe as a transformative presidency marked by sweeping achievements and historic reform.
A formal letter by Congressman Andy Ogles officially asks Secretary Doug Burgum to consider adding Donald J. Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore. The proposal, outlined in a formal appeal to federal officials, argues that Trump’s recent accomplishments—most notably the passage of the controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill”—warrant his inclusion alongside iconic figures like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Mount Rushmore, a symbol of American leadership carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota, was designed to honor presidents who represent the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. Supporters of the proposal claim Trump embodies all four pillars.
“Like Washington, Trump has reshaped the presidency with strength and clarity of purpose,” the letter states. “Like Jefferson, he has pursued bold reforms and returned power to the people. Like Roosevelt, he has taken on entrenched interests, rebuilt the military, and defended the working class. And like Lincoln, he is fighting to preserve the Union—this time from drift, decline, and erosion of self-government.”
The group highlighted the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill”—a sweeping legislative package that overhauled tax policy, cut social safety net programs, expanded military and border spending, and added trillions to the national debt—as a defining milestone of Trump’s leadership and a reason for national recognition.
They argue these are not temporary victories but “structural changes with lasting national significance,” adding that future generations of historians and policymakers will measure their work against the “standards reestablished by President Trump.”
While acknowledging the logistical and political challenges of modifying Mount Rushmore, the authors urged decision-makers not to allow “bureaucratic resistance or political discomfort” to stand in the way of honoring Trump’s legacy.
The idea is already drawing fierce criticism and debate, particularly from Native American groups and preservation advocates who oppose altering the monument, which is carved into land sacred to the Lakota Sioux. Opponents also dispute the legacy of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” citing its deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, and its staggering impact on the national debt.
Still, supporters believe Trump’s addition to the monument would “elevate the dignity and relevance of the site” and drive increased tourism to the region.
Ogles’ letter follows the introduction of a bill in the U.S. House earlier this year aimed at adding President Donald J. Trump to Mount Rushmore.
In January, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) introduced a brief, one-page measure that would instruct the Secretary of the Interior—through the Director of the National Park Service—to “arrange for the carving of the figure of President Donald J. Trump on Mount Rushmore National Memorial.”
