Could Mount Rushmore Welcome a Fifth Face? Meet Seven Notable Nominees

In 1927, over 400 individuals began carving the Mount Rushmore National Memorial using chisels, jackhammers, and dynamite, a colossal endeavor spanning 14 years. Even before its completion, Americans were already suggesting new figures to stand alongside presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt on the South Dakota cliff. Despite sculptor Gutzon Borglum's objections about limited space (and rock), the proposals kept pouring in.

Over the years, countless names have been proposed—some in jest, others with genuine intent. In 1991, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Argus Leader newspaper asked readers to share their suggestions, resulting in a varied list featuring figures like disgraced Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, President Jimmy Carter, innovator Thomas Edison, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Martin Luther King, Jr., country artist Merle Haggard, Betsy Ross, Sacagawea, and even Bart Simpson. Additionally, Mad magazine advocated for its iconic mascot Alfred E. Neuman, showcasing a mock-up on a 1957 cover.

Below are seven distinguished Americans who have been proposed for this honor.

1. Susan B. Anthony

As far back as 1927, Rose Arnold Powell, a dedicated supporter of Susan B. Anthony, campaigned to include the renowned suffragist in Mount Rushmore’s male-dominated lineup. Eleanor Roosevelt also supported Anthony’s inclusion, and in 1936, bills in both the U.S. House and Senate echoed this sentiment, though they ultimately failed. Borglum, however, resisted the idea, telling a journalist that the monument aimed to “depict the men who founded, defended, and expanded the United States.”

Although Powell and her supporters couldn’t secure Anthony’s place on Mount Rushmore, they achieved recognition for her through a postage stamp issued in 1936. Anthony was further honored with another stamp in 1955 and later with a dollar coin starting in 1979, marking her as the first woman to appear on a circulating U.S. coin.

2. Dwight D. Eisenhower

World War II hero and former president Dwight D. Eisenhower nearly became the first bald figure on Mount Rushmore, thanks to a 1960 proposal by New York Senator Kenneth Keating and Minnesota’s Hubert Humphrey. Keating, a Republican, and Humphrey, a Democrat, suggested adding two heads: Republican Eisenhower and Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. The idea failed to gain traction, with newspapers quipping that it was a “bust.” While Eisenhower’s name hasn’t been seriously considered since, FDR has remained a frequent suggestion. 

3. John F. Kennedy

Following the tragic assassination of JFK in 1963, many Americans felt that honoring the young president by adding him to Mount Rushmore would be a fitting tribute. While the idea never materialized, a 1991 NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll revealed that he remained the president Americans most desired to see on the monument. In a 2014 American Legion survey asking, “If you could choose one president to add to Mount Rushmore, who would it be?,” Kennedy secured second place with 11 percent of the vote, though he was far behind Ronald Reagan, who garnered 42 percent. 

4. Elvis Presley

Just two months before his passing in 1977, Elvis Presley performed one of his final concerts at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. Unsurprisingly, suggestions to immortalize his iconic wavy-haired image on the nearby monument have persisted ever since—peaking in 1991 when Los Angeles DJ Magic Matt Alan launched a nationwide letter-writing campaign. “There’s plenty of space to the right of Teddy,” he remarked. That same year, when Postmaster General Anthony Frank proposed a stamp honoring Presley, he observed, “We don’t have a place where famous individuals can be memorialized except perhaps Mount Rushmore. A stamp is the closest alternative.” 

At least Presley received his stamp in 1993. According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, it became “the most popular U.S. commemorative stamp in history.”

5. Ronald Reagan

Long before his passing in 2004—even before his first term concluded—supporters of the 40th president were advocating for sculptors to begin carving his likeness. In 1989, R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., editor of the conservative magazine American Spectator, launched a playful campaign to make this a reality, reportedly with Reagan’s approval. To address concerns about insufficient granite, he proposed crafting the features from cement and affixing them to the mountain. One enthusiastic supporter even suggested constructing an ear from remnants of the Berlin Wall, honoring Reagan’s role in its fall. Critics of Reagan opposed the idea, while cartoonists found endless inspiration in the concept. 

6. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Following his unexpected death in 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt—the only U.S. president elected to four terms—appeared to be a natural choice to join his fifth cousin, Teddy, on the monument. Roosevelt also had a strong connection to Mount Rushmore: he contributed to its funding and spoke at the dedication of Jefferson’s head in 1936. Though fewer of FDR’s contemporaries remain, his name consistently ranks high whenever discussions of adding another figure arise. A 2016 Expedia survey placed him first with 29 percent of the vote.

7. Donald J. Trump

At least one prominent individual has proposed adding Donald Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore—Trump himself. He reportedly told then-South Dakota congresswoman and current governor Kristi Noem that it was his “dream.” The 45th president later claimed he was joking but seemed to support the idea, tweeting that “it sounds like a good idea to me.” To illustrate, he even posed for a photo in front of the monument, envisioning his likeness next to Honest Abe’s.

In the 2016 Expedia survey, conducted prior to his election, Trump wasn’t listed as an option but still garnered 2 percent of the vote through write-ins, placing him between Jesus Christ and Mickey Mouse.