White House Asks South Dakota Gov. To Have Trump Added To Mount Rushmore: Report

The White House has reportedly reached out to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in an effort to add President Donald Trump to Mount Rushmore. A Republican official confirmed the report to the New York Times.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

In 2018, Noem told South Dakota’s Argus Leader that, while visiting the White House, Trump told her that it was his "dream" to be added to Mount Rushmore. Noem says Trump called her over saying, “‘Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand.'” She then continued, “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.”

While visiting South Dakota in July, Trump spoke highly of Mount Rushmore, saying it will "stand forever as an eternal tribute to our forefathers, and to our freedom." 

The National Parks Service has routinely said Mount Rushmore will not be changed: “From time to time individuals, groups or organizations make proposals to add the busts of other individuals to Mount Rushmore National Memorial,” Mount Rushmore National Memorial Chief of Interpretation and Education Maureen McGee-Ballinger said. “Additions are not possible.

[Via]