Mount Rushmore Could Get Trump Upgrade Under GOP Push [WATCH]

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) has formally requested that President Donald Trump be added to Mount Rushmore, reigniting a long-discussed idea just ahead of Independence Day.

In a letter sent Thursday to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Ogles called on the federal government to consider engraving President Trump’s likeness alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

🚨BREAKING: Rep. Andy Ogles has officially sent a letter to Secretary Doug Burgum calling for President Trump to be added to Mount Rushmore. pic.twitter.com/sQqZwGjMFJ

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 3, 2025

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The monument, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, has not been altered since its completion in 1941.

“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,” Ogles wrote.

Ogles drew parallels between Trump and each of the four presidents currently honored on the monument.

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He wrote that, “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,” he added.

Ogles also compared Trump to Theodore Roosevelt, citing his efforts to fight “entrenched interests,” reinvigorate American industry, and stand up for working-class citizens.

“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,” he concluded.

I’m asking @SecretaryBurgum 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… pic.twitter.com/KougHxnKT2

— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) July 3, 2025

Construction on Mount Rushmore began in 1927, led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, and was funded primarily by the federal government.

The project cost approximately $1 million at the time.

Today, a similar effort would likely exceed $20 million.

Following Borglum’s death in 1941, his son Lincoln Borglum completed the sculpture.

The monument was designated a historic place in 1966 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

It currently draws around two million visitors each year and costs about $2.1 million annually to maintain, according to figures from the Department of the Interior.

CONGRESSMAN OGLES: TRUMP IS “SAVING AMERICA.” HE DESERVES A THIRD TERM AND SHOULD BE ADDED TO MOUNT RUSHMORE

Tennessee’s @RepOgles makes the case to @MattGaetz for why Trump should be added to the historic Mount Rushmore and should be considered for a third term, saying, “He’s… pic.twitter.com/PjEWrqOWq4

— One America News (@OANN) July 4, 2025

In his letter, Ogles acknowledged that logistical, legal, and preservation-related issues may arise but urged Secretary Burgum not to allow those concerns to outweigh the potential cultural significance.

“While meeting the logistical challenges may require engagement with state and/or tribal officials, the national benefit of promptly recognizing President Trump’s accomplishments in restoring American greatness makes doing so a priority,” Ogles wrote.

He added that increased tourism and broader national appreciation would bring benefits to South Dakota, the Lakota Sioux, and other regional stakeholders.

The idea of adding Trump to Mount Rushmore has surfaced in the past, including during President Trump’s own July 4th celebration at the monument in 2020.

According to former South Dakota Governor and current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Trump privately expressed serious interest in seeing his face on the monument.

“He said, ‘Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand,’” Noem recalled in an interview with the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader.

“I shook his hand, and I said, ‘Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.’ And he goes, ‘Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?’ I started laughing. He wasn’t laughing, so he was totally serious.”

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