Trump Pledges to Rename Denali as Mount McKinley, Sparking Debate

 

In a move likely to reignite a long-standing naming controversy, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to rename Denali, North America's tallest peak, as Mount McKinley, honoring the 25th U.S. president, William McKinley.

The mountain, with an elevation exceeding 20,000 feet (6,100 meters), was officially designated as Mount McKinley in 1917, despite McKinley having no direct connection to Alaska. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama ordered the name be changed to Denali, a nod to its traditional Athabascan name meaning "The High One," after decades of advocacy by Alaskans.

The decision aligned with the state of Alaska, which had officially adopted the Denali name in 1975. The U.S. Department of the Interior at the time justified the renaming by stating McKinley had neither visited the mountain nor had a historical connection to it.

Speaking to supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, Trump criticized the previous renaming, calling it a slight against McKinley, a Republican president assassinated in 1901.

“They took his name off Mount McKinley,” Trump said. “He was a great president. We will bring back the name of Mount McKinley because I think he deserves it.”

Trump’s remarks drew applause from his base but sparked criticism from others.

Alaska’s Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, a long-time advocate for the name Denali, was quick to push back against Trump’s pledge.

“There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali – the Great One,” Murkowski wrote in a post on social media platform X.

William McKinley, who served as Ohio’s governor before becoming president in 1897, is remembered for his leadership during the Spanish-American War and his policies promoting American industry through protective tariffs. However, his legacy has little direct connection to the Alaskan peak.

The debate highlights the broader cultural and historical considerations around place names in the U.S. While Trump’s administration may attempt to restore the McKinley name, such a move is expected to face significant opposition from Alaskan leaders and Indigenous communities who view the name Denali as a vital part of their heritage.

As Trump prepares to take office, the question of Denali’s name is poised to become yet another flashpoint in discussions of national identity and historical recognition.