Trump Renames Denali to Mount McKinley
President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming North America's tallest mountain, Denali, back to Mount McKinley. The move restores the name that a prospector gave the mountain in 1896, because he was fond of then-presidential candidate William McKinley. In 2015, the Obama administration renamed the mountain to Denali, which translates to "The Great One" and reflects the heritage of the Koyukon Athabascan people who have lived near the mountain for thousands of years.
The name change resurrected the cultural heritage debates. It also led Alaskan lawmakers and indigenous groups to condemn the action taken. "Disappointment" was also shown by the Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan; the latter mentioning how important Denali was with respect to history and the Native communities. "Our tallest mountain should honor its rightful name bestowed by the Koyukon Athabascans," Senator Murkowski said.
The executive order also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." Trump justified this as a symbolic gesture linked to national identity and immigration policies.
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Critics say such changes are in complete disregard for the historical and cultural context that the original names come with, especially for Indigenous communities.
Actually, the issue of renaming the mountain dates back more than a century. While the federal government named it Mount McKinley as far back as 1917, Alaskans had always favored the name Denali. The federal government, though it had established the Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980, had still kept the naming of the mountain pending until Obama's executive move in 2015.
Trump's name-changing efforts are part of a broader program to rename the American landscape to suit his conception of patriotism and economic policy. He has repeatedly spoken of McKinley in favorable terms, praising his support for tariffs, a stance aligned with Trump's own policies favoring higher tariffs and economic nationalism.
This means the U.S. Geographic Names Information System has 30 days to change the federal record of names. Local and national leaders also oppose these name changes, which couldlead to more debates on the appropriateness of the new naming decisions.
This choice also reflects the tensions between federal authority and the rights of locals or natives. For Native American communities, renaming such land is simply another gesture of disregard for their culture's contribution and connection to the land. Advocacy groups want broader recognition of Indigenous names and heritage reflected in national landmarks.
And as it is, with Trump remaining at the presidency, it may be setting a precedent for changes towards other historic sites that will come in the future. Yet to be seen is how such decisions will impact public opinion and the broader conversation around cultural preservation in the U.S.