A bronze statue of President Donald Trump will be permanently installed in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota, on Tuesday, November 25, marking a historic milestone for the city's presidential statue collection. The statue will be positioned at the corner of St. Joseph Street and 6th Street, becoming the newest addition to the renowned City of Presidents project.
The Trump statue was initially unveiled in May 2024 and has been temporarily displayed at the Rapid City Visitor Center throughout the summer season. This temporary housing allowed visitors and residents to view the bronze sculpture before its permanent installation in the downtown area.
The statue represents a significant first for the City of Presidents project, as it marks the first time in the initiative's history that a sitting president has had their statue unveiled and displayed during their active term in office. The timing of the statue's creation and installation creates this unique historical circumstance, as Trump was commissioned after his first presidency ended in 2021 but completed before his re-election in November 2024.
The City of Presidents is a privately funded, nonpartisan initiative that launched in 2000 with the ambitious goal of installing bronze statues of every U.S. president along the streets of downtown Rapid City. This comprehensive project aims to create a walking tour of American presidential history, allowing visitors to encounter representations of all commanders-in-chief who have held the nation's highest office.
Renowned sculptor Jim Maher created the Trump statue, bringing his extensive experience with presidential sculptures to this latest work. Maher has contributed significantly to the City of Presidents project, having crafted 12 other presidential statues for the collection. His previous works include bronze sculptures of Ronald Reagan, Herbert Hoover, and George W. Bush, demonstrating his expertise in capturing the likeness and character of American presidents in bronze.
The installation of Trump's statue continues Rapid City's tradition of honoring American presidential history through public art, providing both educational value and tourist attraction for the South Dakota community. The permanent placement will allow the statue to join the growing collection of presidential monuments that line the downtown streets, contributing to the city's unique identity as a destination for those interested in American political history.
