South Dakota Pushes Trump Statue Garden Amid Tribal Outcry/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ South Dakota politicians are promoting Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes near Mount Rushmore, backed by a mining company’s land donation. The plan faces opposition from Indigenous groups who consider the Black Hills sacred and see the project as erasing their history. Funding is pending congressional approval, and application deadlines loom for sculptors.
South Dakota Pushes Trump Statue Garden Amid Tribal Outcry: Quick Looks
- State officials seek to build Trump’s 250-statue garden on donated 40 acres
- Land near Mount Rushmore, donated by Pete Lien & Sons, sits on treaty‑asserted sacred territory
- Sioux tribes, citing the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, oppose the project
- Indigenous advocates highlight ongoing plans to drill near sacred site Pe’ Sla
- Project proposed by Gov. Rhoden follows former Gov. Noem’s support
- Garden authorised by Trump executive order featuring historical figures
- House approved $40 million, Senate funding still pending
- Interior Department labels it “planning phase”; no other states identified
South Dakota Pushes Trump Statue Garden Amid Tribal Outcry
Deep Look
Sioux Falls, S.D. — June 24, 2025
South Dakota is racing to host President Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes near Mount Rushmore, leveraging a land donation from a mining company. But the move has stirred fierce opposition from Indigenous communities, who see the Black Hills as sacred and warn the site choice deepens ongoing treaty and cultural tensions.
Land Donation and Sacred Claims
The proposed site—40 acres close to Mount Rushmore—was donated by Pete Lien & Sons and sits less than a mile from the iconic monument. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden, echoing his predecessor Kristi Noem, sent a letter asserting the locale was “perfect” and connected to the national project.
However, the land lies within territory acknowledged in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie as belonging to the Sioux people. The U.S. government later seized this land for gold mining—a move ruled illegal by the 1980 Supreme Court. But tribal leaders rejected the compensation offered and continue to assert their treaty rights and connection to the region.
Cultural and Environmental Concerns
Indigenous activists point to other contentious developments nearby, including planned exploratory drilling for graphite near the sacred Lakota site Pe’ Sla—conducted by the same mining company. Taylor Gunhammer of NDN Collective denounced the project as erasing Indigenous history, rather than preserving it. Darren Thompson of Sacred Defense Fund echoed the need for respectful consultation with local tribes.
Project Scope and Funding
Trump’s executive directive calls for 250 life-size statues spanning American heroes like Amelia Earhart and Muhammad Ali, as well as divisive figures like Christopher Columbus and Andrew Jackson. A $40 million budget is moving through the House, though Senate approval remains pending. While sculptor applications are due in early July, the Interior Department says the initiative is still in its “planning and discussion phase.”
Political Push and Opposition
The drive to build the garden carries significant political backing: Gov. Rhoden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, and other state leaders are campaigning to locate the project in the Black Hills, citing Mount Rushmore as an iconic backdrop. Funding delays have stalled execution, but federal deadlines are approaching swiftly.
In contrast, Indigenous voices stress the need for meaningful dialogue and respect for sacred traditions. With multiple jurisdictions involved—state, federal, and federal tribes—the proposal highlights deep structural tensions over sacred land stewardship and historical justice.
Why It Matters
This dispute sheds light on broader questions about monuments, land rights, and whose history gets memorialized. It also raises serious concerns around cultural erasure, environmental impacts, and local consent in a region already marked by controversy over land seizure and broken treaties.
As the deadline for sculptor applications nears and federal funding hangs in the balance, South Dakota faces a defining moment: whether its vision of national commemoration will move forward — and at what cost to Indigenous heritage and unity.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.