Experts dismiss Trump’s ambition to be carved onto Mount Rushmore: 'It could damage Lincoln’s nose'
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump’s dream of having his face carved into Mount Rushmore is virtually impossible, according to experts.
The iconic South Dakota monument already features four US presidents — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln— and adding another sculpture could risk damaging the historic site, the Daily Mail reported.
‘No viable locations left for’ Donald Trump’s face to be carved
According to a report by The New York Times, the National Park Service, which oversees Mount Rushmore, has confirmed: “The carved portion of Mount Rushmore has been thoroughly evaluated, and there are no viable locations left for additional carvings.”
Paul Nelson, a geomechanical engineer who managed the monument’s Rock Block Monitoring System, warned that adding another face could destabilize the mountain. “One of the concerns about an additional face is that you could activate these fractures. If you remove material, you could be removing support,” he explained.
Nelson added that carving a new face would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible,” and could even risk damaging existing features and “It could damage Lincoln’s nose,” he cautioned.
Granddaughter of Mount Rushmore sculptor rejects idea of adding Donald Trump’s face
Robin Borglum Kennedy, the granddaughter of Gutzon Borglum — the sculptor behind Mount Rushmore’s colossal presidential faces believes that neither Donald Trump nor any living president should be added to the monument.
“It was conceived as a tribute to the ideals of America, not to any one man,” she emphasized.
It’s also worth noting that even Gutzon Borglum had to alter his original artistic vision due to the mountain’s geological makeup. The granite surface, interspersed with pegmatite crystal, rose quartz, and schist, proved incompatible for more detailed carving.
As a result, the iconic artist did not create full torsos for any of the four presidents.
Faces at Mount Rushmore compared to Leonardo da Vinci's 'Last Supper'
Former superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Dan Wenk, weighed in on the idea of adding another face to the monument. “You wouldn’t add another face to Borglum’s Mount Rushmore, just like you wouldn’t add one to Leonardo da Vinci’s 'Last Supper',” he said.
“But I recognize that these types of ideas are no longer off the table. Fortunately, from my point of view, and not just for Trump, but for anyone else — they’re fighting against the reality of the rock,” Wenk added.
Trump first expressed his desire to be featured on Mount Rushmore during his initial term as president.
MAGA congresswoman says Donald Trump ‘deserves to reflect his towering legacy’
The idea of adding Donald Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore resurfaced earlier this year when MAGA congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna introduced a bill proposing his inclusion on the iconic monument.
In her proposal, Luna wrote: “President Trump’s bold leadership and steadfast dedication to America’s greatness have cemented his place in history. 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.”
“He will be forever remembered among the greats like Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt,” she added.
