President Donald Trump recently shared a gold-plated video on Truth Social. The video features Mount Rushmore with his face alongside Abraham Lincoln. The opening text, ‘Art of the vision,’ appears over an American flag. A voiceover states, ‘I will be the greatest president for many, many years to come,’ followed by ‘And we’re gonna have a lot of fun tonight.’ This post preceded Trump’s speech at Mount Rushmore, marking America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Trump traveled to the South Dakota memorial, which features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. He delivered his speech under their granite images, touching on themes from previous remarks about potentially being added to the monument. Space restrictions on Mount Rushmore make this unlikely, even though Trump and other GOP members have entertained the idea in various contexts.
Trump’s Mount Rushmore Speech
In his speech, Trump addressed America’s semiquincentennial, underscoring the nation’s exceptional history. He stated, ‘The U.S. is the most successful, most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history.’ He spoke for thirty minutes, examining perceived threats from the political left. He emphasized, ‘Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,’ comparing it to pressures like World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11.
Mount Rushmore Vision
The idea of Trump joining the faces on Mount Rushmore has been a point of discussion for years. Former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recounted Trump expressing this ambition in a 2018 meeting. Publicly, Trump addressed this topic in a 2019 Hill interview, noting that directly answering questions about it might generate bad publicity. In a 2020 social media post, Trump remarked that considering his accomplishments during the presidency, the idea sounded appealing.
Some Republicans, including Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, have shown support for this idea. Luna introduced legislation in 2025, urging Trump’s likeness to be added next to Mount Rushmore’s current figures. Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee and White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers supported considering the proposal.
Despite these discussions, adding another face is deemed infeasible. The Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University maintains a letter from Mount Rushmore’s sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, which states that stone limitations prohibit adding a fifth head.
Future Celebrations
Trump’s visit to Mount Rushmore precedes a separate ‘Freedom 250’ speech scheduled in Washington, D.C., on July 4. The anniversary festivities have been meticulously planned, with coordinated nationwide programming spearheaded by established commissions.
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