Trump on Adding His Face to Mount Rushmore: ‘Sounds Like a Good Idea’
President blasts NYT and CNN for 'fake' story
© press
President Donald Trump said that adding his likeness to Mount Rushmore "sounds like a good idea" after he denied reports White House contacted the governor of South Dakota about carving his face into the historical monument.
“This is Fake News by the failing @nytimes & bad ratings @CNN,” Trump wrote on Twitter linking to the report.
“Never suggested it although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me!”
This is Fake News by the failing @nytimes & bad ratings @CNN. Never suggested it although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me! https://t.co/EHrA9yUsAw
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
According to a New York Times article published over the weekend, a White House rep reached out to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to enquire about adding Trump’s face to the nearly 80-year-old monument.
© press
The story was quickly published by CNN, who claimed Trump previously spoke to Noem about it himself during a meeting in the Oval Office.
Trump later trolled both news outlets by tweeting an image of his face superimposed in front of the mountain.
In the picture, Trump is shown winking next to the 60-foot-tall likenesses of President Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and George Washington.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Trump brought up the idea of adding his face to Mount Rushmore during a 2018 Oval Office meeting with Noem.
© press
“He said, ‘Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand, and so I shook his hand, and I said, ‘Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime," Noem said.
"We have Mount Rushmore.’ And he goes, ‘Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?'”
Last month, CNN host Don Lemon argued former President Barack Obama should be added to the historic Mount Rushmore sculpture.
Lemon argued that the first black president should be "front and center" on the monument.
Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon make clear --- yes, the Founders do all need to go. Same goes for Mount Rushmore, respect for the Founders, admiration for the Founding documents, and showing respect for those that came before us (despite their imperfections).
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 8, 2020
It's their way or else. pic.twitter.com/FFzqD7mi4v
The outlet later described the monument as “monument of two slave owners,” which was "wrestled [sic] away from Native American" land, ahead of Trump's visit in July.
