We see lots of things on social media. Today it is easy to determine if the claims are true, mostly true, mixed or false. Here is the graphic image of the claims – which was then passed along to Grok AI for analysis.

Grok’s Analysis

Partially true, with some accurate details, some exaggerations or unverified phrasing, and overall a selective framing that highlights real differences in tone across coverage.

Here is a breakdown of the main claims:

1996 Bill Clinton visit and ABC News

Clinton did visit South Dakota during his 1996 re-election campaign (stops included Brandon and Sioux Falls; sources note related or private visits involving Mount Rushmore around that period, with a clearer public appearance at the memorial in 1999). The specific ABC News quote about “American ingenuity and American creativity came together and formed an amazing American accomplishment” appears repeatedly in 2020 letters-to-the-editor and social media posts that mirror this meme, but primary 1996 ABC transcripts or reports confirming the exact wording are not readily available in searchable archives. Positive framing of the site as an American achievement was common at the time and is plausible, but the precise attribution remains unverified in easily accessible sources.

2008 Barack Obama and CNN

Obama (then a candidate) did visit Mount Rushmore in 2008 while campaigning in South Dakota. Contemporary CNN coverage described it positively as “majestic Mount Rushmore,” “quite a sight,” and a “fitting stop for a presidential contender.” This matches the meme’s description of it as a majestic site. The specific claim that CNN said “every president should visit” is a reasonable paraphrase of the upbeat tone but is not a direct documented quote in the available reporting.

2016 Bernie Sanders and CNN

Sanders did campaign-stop visit Mount Rushmore in May 2016. He described the monument positively (calling the four presidents great, an “unbelievable accomplishment,” “America at its best,” and something that makes one “very proud to be an American”). CNN’s Jeff Zeleny covered it with language about “the majesty of the moment” and “this monument to four great American presidents.” “Awe-inspiring” is a close paraphrase of that positive framing; Sanders’ own comments align with being humbled/impressed by the presence of the presidents and the achievement. This part of the meme is largely accurate.

2020 Trump visit and CNN

Trump held a July 3–4, 2020 event at Mount Rushmore. CNN coverage was more critical and contextualized the site differently. Correspondent Leyla Santiago stated that Trump would be “standing in front of a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans.” Joe Johns and others noted that for some (especially Indigenous critics) it represented symbols of oppression or white supremacy, referencing the two slave-owning presidents (Washington and Jefferson), the history of the Black Hills, and protests. The meme’s phrasing (“CNN called it a celebration of white supremacy…”) is a stronger condensation/summary than most direct CNN lines, which often attributed the “white supremacy” or “stolen land” framing to critics or Native voices rather than stating it as pure network opinion. Still, the shift to emphasizing those historical critiques is well-documented and contrasts sharply with the earlier positive language.

Overall

The visits themselves occurred (or are well-attested for the politicians named). Positive media language around Clinton/Obama/Sanders visits versus more critical, history-focused language around Trump’s 2020 event is real and reflects a documented change in emphasis. Exact word-for-word quotes in the meme are sometimes paraphrased, slightly exaggerated, or harder to pin to primary sources (especially the 1996 ABC line), and the meme presents a one-sided selection that omits fuller context from any of the coverage. The concluding claim about agenda-driven media is an opinion; the contrast in tone across the examples is factual.