KEYSTONE, S.D. — On the eve of the nation’s 250th anniversary, President Donald Trump delivered a roughly 30-minute address at Mount Rushmore, warning that a resurgent “communist menace” threatens American liberty. Speaking beneath the carved faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, he mixed paeans to national greatness with a vow to defeat what he described as a leftist movement.
“You can be loyal to Karl Marx or you can be loyal to America. You can be a communist or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both,” Trump declared, insisting communism is “a mortal threat to American liberty” and labeling it “the enemy of the Constitution” and “the enemy of July 4, 1776.” He urged Americans to repel the ideology “quickly,” quipping, “Don’t let them take too much of your time.”
Trump did not name specific political leaders as the vanguard of the threat, but in recent days he has pointed to democratic socialists who prevailed in some New York primaries as emblematic of the leftist forces he says aim to overturn longstanding American traditions.
The event weathered hail and rain during its pre-program, which sent some guests seeking shelter, but skies cleared before Trump took the stage. His arrival included a dramatic Air Force One flyover behind the memorial’s illuminated heads. After his remarks, attendees who had won a lottery to attend remained for a fireworks display over the granite faces.
Trump did not broach the long-speculated idea of adding his likeness to the monument. The notion has surfaced repeatedly in recent years. In 2018, then-Rep. Kristi Noem recalled that Trump told her it was his “dream” to be added atop Mount Rushmore; as governor she later presented him a small model of the monument that included his image. In 2025 and 2026, allies floated proposals in Congress and elsewhere to honor him on the mountain, but those efforts made no headway.
Beyond politics, practical and legal barriers make adding a face implausible. Congress would have to approve any change, and geologists and the monument’s original sculptor noted limited suitable rock. Gutzon Borglum, who led construction from 1927 to 1941, warned of “stone limitations” that make altering the composition unlikely. South Dakota officials and senators have echoed concerns that the mountain lacks good rock for another carving.
Trump mentioned the Nobel Prize, wryly noting that while Americans have won many, “they haven’t given me one.” Some supporters at the site voiced strong admiration. Mike Pack, 74, who won a ticket through a special lottery and wore a MAGA hat, said Trump is “the greatest president we’ve had in my lifetime” and praised his efforts to unite the country.
The question of how Trump will be remembered has recurred throughout his second term. His name was recently added to some federal buildings by loyalists only to be removed after legal challenges in other cases, underscoring the contest over legacy that has played out in public institutions and courts.
At Mount Rushmore, reactions to the idea of altering the monument were cautious. Two impersonators portraying George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, strolling the grounds, both said they favored preserving the monument as is. “They’ve captured the necessary elements, and any changes might create more trouble than it’s worth,” the Lincoln impersonator said. Washington’s counterpart agreed that the monument should remain unchanged.
Trump’s remarks at the monument blended grand historical references, showmanship and partisan warnings — delivered on a symbolic night meant to celebrate the country’s founding — leaving supporters celebratory and critics cautioning about rhetoric that frames political opponents as existential enemies.