Fact Check: FAKE Photo Shows Trump's Face Being Carved Onto Mount Rushmore

The image was an April Fool's Day joke, not a real plan to add Trump to the monument.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 6:57pm

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A viral social media post claiming that Donald Trump's face was being carved onto Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota was an April Fool's Day hoax. The image used in the post was generated by AI and not an actual photograph of ongoing construction. The story originated from a fake news article published under the pen name 'Olaf Priol' - an anagram of 'April Fool' - to trick readers on April 1st.

Why it matters

The spread of misinformation, especially around political figures, can sow confusion and erode public trust. It's important for news outlets to quickly fact-check and debunk viral claims, especially those that appear to show major changes to iconic national landmarks.

The details

The original post appeared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on March 31, 2026, claiming that Trump's face was being added to Mount Rushmore. The post included an AI-generated image that looked convincingly real. However, the story was confirmed to be an April Fool's Day prank, with the byline 'Olaf Priol' being an anagram for 'April Fool.' Previous reports have stated that adding any more presidential faces to Mount Rushmore would be nearly impossible due to the stone's limitations.

  • The original post was published on March 31, 2026, the day before April Fool's Day.
  • The image was confirmed to be AI-generated on April 1, 2026.

The players

Olaf Priol

A pen name used by the author of the original fake news article, which was an anagram for 'April Fool.'

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president whose face was falsely claimed to be added to Mount Rushmore.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

The iconic national monument in South Dakota featuring the carved faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

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What they’re saying

“Donald Trump's face is taking shape on Mount Rushmore today as a new addition after he gave the go ahead.”

— Olaf Priol, Author of the fake news article

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of verifying information, especially around politically charged topics, before sharing it online. Viral claims, even when accompanied by seemingly convincing visuals, should be thoroughly fact-checked to avoid the spread of misinformation.