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GOP Lawmaker Proposes Massive Change To Mount Rushmore

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Mount Rushmore
Photo Credit: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) ignited a firestorm this week by proposing that President Donald Trump be immortalized on Mount Rushmore.

In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Ogles pushed for a feasibility study to evaluate the possibility of adding Trump’s likeness to the monument, arguing that the 45th president’s achievements warranted a permanent place in the American landscape.

“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,” Ogles wrote in a post on X.

He cited Trump’s major domestic wins, including the sweeping new budget bill passed Thursday and the president’s uncompromising border enforcement measures.

“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,” he wrote.

In his formal letter, Ogles called on the Department of the Interior to launch a full review, accounting for technical, legal, and cultural considerations. The suggestion comes amid longstanding controversy from Native American groups, as the site was carved into sacred Lakota Sioux land. Still, Mount Rushmore remains a major attraction, drawing about 2 million visitors every year.

“We understand that physical modifications to Mount Rushmore raise logistical and preservation questions, but this discussion should not be foreclosed based on past bureaucratic resistance or political discomfort,” Ogles noted.

He acknowledged the need for coordination with state and tribal leaders but insisted the broader benefits make the effort worthwhile.

“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,” he wrote.

“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.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) has also weighed in with proposed legislation that would direct Secretary Burgum to begin plans to “arrange for the carving” of Trump’s face into the mountain. The bill has yet to receive a formal hearing.

“His remarkable accomplishments for our country and the success he will continue to deliver deserve the highest recognition and honor on this iconic national monument,” she tweeted in January.

“Mount Rushmore, a timeless symbol of our nation’s freedom and strength, deserves to reflect his towering legacy—a legacy further solidified by the powerful start to his second term,” Luna said in a separate statement.

“He will be forever remembered among the great like Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.”

On Thursday, President Trump issued a new executive order instructing the Department of the Interior to develop a pricing strategy aimed at boosting revenue at national parks. The directive targets foreign tourists, calling for increased entrance and recreational pass fees.

According to the White House, this price adjustment will make visiting U.S. national parks more affordable for American citizens.

The administration argued that these higher fees for foreign visitors will “fuel investment in our national parks, reduce the maintenance backlog, construct critical infrastructure improvements and support conservation projects that improve our majestic national parks.”

In a fact sheet, the White House said the change would “ensure fairness” in how park resources are funded.

“American citizens fund national parks and public lands with their tax dollars, yet they are currently charged the same rate as foreign visitors who do not pay taxes, meaning that American citizens pay more to see their own national treasures than foreign visitors do,” the document stated.

While the executive order does not specify exactly how much the fees will increase or when changes will be implemented, it signals a clear shift in park funding strategy.

Trump’s latest move comes as his administration pushes for a 30% reduction in the National Park Service’s operating and staffing budgets, aiming to streamline services while finding new sources of revenue.

Clark Kelley

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