Overview
- On July 3, Rep. Andy Ogles sent a formal letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urging a study of the technical, legal and cultural viability of carving President Trump’s likeness on Mount Rushmore.
- The proposed review would solicit input from experts and the public on logistical challenges and preservation risks.
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial and engineering firm RESPEC have repeatedly found no structurally sound rock available for additional carvings.
- The Interior Department says it carefully reviews congressional correspondence but has not scheduled a feasibility assessment or public hearing on the proposal.
- Lakota Sioux and other Native American groups object to any modifications on sacred tribal land where the monument stands.