As President Donald Trump prepares to deliver a speech at Mount Rushmore on July 4, the White House has suggested that he could be a suitable addition to the monument. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated, "There would be no better addition to the iconic Mount Rushmore than the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump," in comments reported by multiple outlets, including ABC News.
This proposal is not new; following Trump's inauguration for his second term, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) introduced a bill to add Trump to the monument, asserting that he would be remembered alongside Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Luna remarked, "President Trump’s bold leadership and steadfast dedication to America’s greatness have cemented his place in history," in a statement from January 2025.
While Trump has not publicly endorsed the idea, he has not dismissed it either. In 2020, he referred to a report suggesting he discussed the idea with the South Dakota governor as "fake news," but acknowledged that it "sounds like a good idea."
In addition to the Mount Rushmore proposal, Republican lawmakers have suggested various ways to honor Trump’s legacy, including awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize, naming airports after him, and establishing his birthday as a federal holiday. Trump is scheduled to deliver his Independence Day speech in South Dakota at 8:30 p.m. local time on July 4, and will also speak on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence the following day.