President Donald J. Trump has reinstated the name of North America's highest peak to Mount McKinley.
Through a recent executive order, the mountain previously known as Denali will revert to Mount McKinley, although the surrounding national park remains Denali National Park and Preserve, NDTV World reported.
During his inaugural address, President Trump emphasized the importance of reverting to the mountain's former nomenclature. "We will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs," he stated, advocating a return to historical namesakes in public landmarks.
Alaska's Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was at the forefront of the legislative movement to reinstate the traditional name, aligning closely with President Trump's views on American heritage and presidential legacy. The order mandates that within 30 days, the Secretary of the Interior will officially reinstate 'Mount McKinley' on all federal records, updating the Geographic Names Information System accordingly.
The decision has faced criticism from various stakeholders, including Athan Manuel, the director of Sierra Club's land protection program. He expressed concerns that the renaming disregards the cultural significance of the original name used by Alaska Natives.
Athan Manuel highlighted the cultural and historical significance of the name Denali. He criticized the Trump administration’s decision for going "against the desires of Alaska Natives and centuries of tradition".
Further broadening his approach to national identity markers, President Trump also announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America'. This change, he explained, is to underscore the economic and geopolitical significance of the waters adjacent to U.S. shores. "The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America's future and the global economy," he declared during his inaugural speech.
Standing on the inauguration stage, President Trump declared his intention to prioritize national security issues, specifically addressing illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border where he seeks to take stringent measures against what he described as "criminal aliens."
Opposition within Alaska has met the decision to rename the peak, as the state's officials and indigenous groups advocated for the prior name, Denali. Despite this, the order to revert to Mount McKinley is now official, and federal systems are updating to reflect the change.
The renaming of Denali back to Mount McKinley by President Trump has sparked a dialogue on cultural sensitivity and historical acknowledgment in the United States.
Senator Murkowski led the charge, emphasizing the importance of honoring historical figures and their contributions to the nation. However, not only environmental groups but also local communities have disapproved, feeling that their heritage is being overlooked.
William McKinley, whom federal authorities named the mountain after in 1917, served as the 25th president of the United States but had no direct connections to the mountain or Alaska. The name remained until 2015, when President Obama changed it to Denali.
In sum, President Trump's executive decisions to rename North America's tallest peak and the Gulf of Mexico have ignited discussions on national identity, cultural heritage, and historical recognition. These changes reflect his administration's broader agenda to reshape America's national symbols and address pressing national security concerns. Despite the controversy, officials will implement these decisions in federal records soon.
