President Trump
Donald John TrumpDeWine tests negative for coronavirus a second time Several GOP lawmakers raise concerns over Trump executive orders in Beirut after testing test for US aid to frustrated ally MAY on Sunday night, reports denied that the White House had reached out to Gov. South Dakota. Kristi Noem
Kristi Lynn Noem Thousands of cyclists go to South Dakota for approval ratings for motorcycle rally Drivers drop as COVID-19 cases Mount Noem: South Dakota students ‘will definitely be in class’ this fall MORE (R) about adding his face to Mount Rushmore.
The New York Times reported earlier Sunday that a White House aide had contacted Noem’s office in 2019 to inquire about the process of adding new presidents to Mount Rushmore. The report was aggregated by other news outlets, including CNN.
Trump, retweeting the CNN headline, called the reports “fake news,” though he added that it “sounds like a good idea to me!”
“This is Fake News by Failure @nytimes & bad reviews @CNN. Never suggest it though, based on all the many things done in the first 3 1/2 years, maybe more than any other presidency, sounds like a good idea to me! ‘ He tweeted.
This is Fake News by Failure @nytimes & bad reviews @CNN. Never suggest it though, based on all the many things done in the first 3 1/2 years, maybe more than any other presidency, sounds like a good idea to me! https://t.co/EHrA9yUsAw
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Noem, then a congresswoman, said in 2018 that Trump had told her he intended to have his image on the monument and made it clear to her that he was ‘totally serious’, according to the Argus leader.
“He said, ‘Christ, come here. Shake my hand,'” Noem said at the time. “I shook his hand and I said, ‘Mr. President, sometimes you should come to South Dakota. We have Mount Rushmore.’ And he goes, ‘Do you know that it is my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?’ “
That same year, at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump said, “I would like to ask if you think I’ll be on Mount Rushmore someday, but here’s the problem: If I made fun, joked, had fun, the fake news media will say ‘he thinks he should be on Mount Rushmore’, so I will not say it, okay? I will not say it. ‘
Namely, recalling the conversation, Trump presented with a four-foot replica of the monument that presented his face when he arrived in the state last month for a fourth of July, the Times reported.
Weeks later, Noem met with Vice President Pence in the White House to tell the Vice President that she would do everything in her power to help the Trump-Pence ticket in November, with the unspoken implication that she did not seek to replace him on the ticket, according to the Times.
Noem has been seen as a rising star among Republicans, especially since the July 4 event. A White House official told the Times that replacing Pence was not discussed, adding that Mount Rushmore is a federal monument and therefore not under Noem’s jurisdiction.
An official close to Pence said his team also thought Noem might be helpful in helping Pence prepare for his debate with former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenBiden says Trump’s executive mission is ‘a reckless war on social security’ Trump entered into test exchange with top GOP donor Adelson: Blumenthal report calls for declassification of materials detailing Russian threat to US elections names like his running mate, according to the Times.
The Hill reached out to Noem’s office for comment.
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