If you’ve seen any of the Trump ‘merch’ coming out of the White House, you’d be well aware that the US President loves putting his name and face on everything he sees – including Mount Rushmore.
The New York Times reports that last year, White House aides reached out to Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, about carving another president into the cliff face of Mount Rushmore.
Despite the matter falling under federal, not state, jurisdiction, Noem reportedly responded by gifting Trump a replica of the memorial including his face.
According to the National Park Service, there is no way they’d be able to add a fifth face to Mount Rushmore – even if Trump wanted to.
“From time to time, individuals, groups of organisations make proposals to add the busts of other individuals to Mount Rushmore National Memorial,” Mt. Rushmore’s Maureen McGee-Ballinger told Argus Leader. “Additions are not possible for two reasons.”
“First, the rock that surrounds sculpted faces is not suitable for additional carving. When Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore died in 1941, his son Lincoln Borglum closed down the project and stated that no more carvable rock existed,” McGee-Ballinger explained.
The White House’s 2019 request isn’t the first time Donald Trump has expressed his interest in being carved into Mount Rushmore alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
In a 2018 interview, Kristi Noem told Argus Leader Trump said to her, “do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?”
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Sounds like Trump’s not going to have much luck getting his mug up on Mount Rushmore. McGee Ballinger said, “The National Park Service takes the position that death stayed the hand of the artist and the world is complete in its present form.”
“Thus, to maintain both the integrity of the structure and the artist’s concept, there is no procedure for adding another likeness, the sculpture is complete,” she added.
Sorry Trump – your replica will just have to do.
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