Donald Trump wants to rename Denali back to Mt. McKinley
- Donald Trump, during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, announced his intent to change the name of Denali back to Mount McKinley.
- The mountain had been officially renamed Denali by Barack Obama in 2015 after a lengthy naming battle.
- Trump's plan to revert the name has faced pushback, emphasizing the ongoing tension over cultural recognition and historical identity.
In the United States, Donald Trump, the president-elect at the time, made a promise to revert the name of Denali, which is the tallest mountain in North America, back to its previous name, Mount McKinley. This announcement was made during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, where Trump asserted that William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States and a Republican, deserved to be honored by restoring the mountain's name to what it was known as from 1917 until 2015. The name change back to Denali by President Barack Obama occurred amidst a struggle for recognition of the indigenous name, which means 'the High One' in the local Athabascan language. The mountain had originally been named Mount McKinley in 1896 after a gold prospector recognized McKinley's candidacy for the presidency, but historical evidence suggests that McKinley had no direct connection to the mountain or to Alaska. Obama’s 2015 decision was seen as a victory for the local Native American tribes who had been advocating for the recognition of their indigenous name for the mountain. Trump's comments indicated not only a desire to honor McKinley but also reflected his administration's broader policy goals and commitment to restoring names and recognizing historical figures considered significant by the Republican base. Trump's pledge to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley faced criticism from some quarters, including from Alaska's senior Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who responded pointedly that the mountain's name should remain Denali. Murkowski emphasized the cultural significance of the name to Alaska’s native peoples, reinforcing the sentiment that the historical and cultural context of the mountain's name should be respected. The debate over the name has broader implications, as it touches on issues of cultural identity and recognition of indigenous peoples’ history. During the fallout from Obama's decision, discussions around the fulfillment of Trump's promise focused on the feasibility of changing the mountain's name again and the potential backlash from Alaskans and other groups who support Denali as the mountain's name. Despite Trump's commitment, any attempts to rename the mountain would likely face legal and legislative challenges, as well as significant opposition from local stakeholders who view the name Denali as a crucial part of their heritage and history.