Trump’s controversial statue garden ignites opposition from Indigenous groups
Why Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes is so controversial
- South Dakota officials are pushing to establish Donald Trump's proposed National Garden of American Heroes in the Black Hills, near Mount Rushmore.
- The proposed site, a 40-acre donation from a mining company, has ignited significant opposition from Indigenous groups who consider the area sacred due to historical land disputes.
- The Black Hills were recognised as belonging to the Sioux people by the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, but the land was later seized, leading to a 1980 Supreme Court ruling affirming the treaty violation.
- Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier in 2025 to build the garden, which would feature 250 life-size statues of historical figures for the country's 250th birthday.
- The US House has approved 40 million dollars for the project, overseen by the Department of Interior, but the Senate has not yet approved funding, and the project remains in the planning and discussion phase.