Who are the 4 presidents on Mount Rushmore? Trump dreams of being featured on the national memorial in an AI video shared on his X account

After posting an AI-generated video of his face next to the four presidents sculpted on Mount Rushmore, former US President Donald Trump ignited conversations. After he uploaded the AI-generated video to his X account, the video swiftly gained widespread attention and rekindled discussion over Trump's longstanding wish to be included in the renowned national memorial.

The AI video began with the well-known stone sculptures before panning out to show Trump's face positioned alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Within hours, the video received millions of views in a matter of hours, with many Trump supporters applauding the concept and detractors dismissing it as self-serving.

Trump recently shared other AI-related items as well. These include a clip of sumo wrestlers fighting each other and a video of Trump dancing with Cracker Barrel's "Old Timer" mascot to the song "YMCA." The latter referred to the restaurant chain's recent choice to stick with its old logo following backlash to a proposed revamp.

Who are the four presidents on Mount Rushmore?

Mount Rushmore, which is situated in South Dakota's Black Hills, was designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and was finished in 1941. Its four 60-foot-tall presidential heads represent the key eras of American history:

Starting in order is George Washington on the left, the country's first president, who laid the groundwork for the nation by leading the colonies in the Revolutionary War and securing their independence from Great Britain. Then, second, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, symbolized the expansion of the nation through the Louisiana Purchase.

Followed by the 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, who brought in development. He is recognized for having guided the United States into the twentieth century by fostering economic expansion and global power, and then, finally, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, preserved the Union during the Civil War and abolished slavery, embodying preservation.

Is Donald Trump's dream of being up there on Mount Rushmore possible?

The president's name has already been suggested for the memorial. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) asked the Department of the Interior to look at the possibility of adding Trump to Mount Rushmore in 2020. In an effort to commemorate what supporters refer to as Trump's "transformative impact," Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna recently presented a bill to etch his face into the mountain in February 2025.

According to officials and experts, the idea is not possible. According to the National Park Service (NPS), which oversees Mount Rushmore, it is not possible because the granite around the existing carvings is not appropriate for future sculptures, and there are no more spaces left for new carvings.

Another expert, Paul Nelson, who is a retired engineer who was a part of the team that worked on the structure, told NBC News:

“It comes down to the geology, the engineering. It just can’t be done.”

It is just not the geological complications. It also includes cultural and legal obstacles. The Lakota Sioux, who have long opposed Mount Rushmore's presence, consider the Black Hills to be sacred territory. Legal experts, environmentalists, and indigenous organizations caution that any attempt to change the memorial would be subject to significant lawsuits.

A recurring debate in U.S. Politics

This isn't the first time that an idea has been proposed to add more faces to Mount Rushmore. Proposals have been floated in the past for presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and even Barack Obama, but none came to pass.

Robin Borglum Kennedy, who is the granddaughter of the original sculptor and daughter of Mount Rushmore's first superintendent, told the New York Times:

“It was conceived as a tribute to the ideals of America, not to any one man.”

As of now, with so many obstacles, it seems Donald Trump's dream of being featured on the national memorial remains just a dream.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.

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