President-elect Donald Trump has reignited the debate over North America’s tallest peak, vowing to reverse Obama’s 2015 decision to rename Mount McKinley as Denali.
Speaking at a conference in Phoenix, Trump declared his intention to “bring back the name of Mount McKinley,” arguing that the 25th U.S. president, William McKinley, deserves the honor. The mountain, standing at 20,310 feet, has been known as Denali by Alaska Natives for centuries.
The peak was officially named Mount McKinley in 1917 after a gold prospector dubbed it in 1896 to support then-presidential candidate William McKinley. However, Alaska officially designated the name Denali in 1975, recognizing its significance in Koyukon Athabascan culture.
Obama’s 2015 decision to rename the mountain Denali, meaning “the High One” in the local Athabascan language, was seen as a step towards acknowledging Indigenous heritage and ending the decades-long dispute.
Trump’s announcement drew swift reactions from Alaska’s political leaders. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski pushed back against the proposal, stating, “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali: the Great One.”
Denali holds deep cultural significance for Alaska Natives. Will Mayo, former president of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, expressed the joy felt by Indigenous communities when the mountain’s traditional name was officially recognized.
Changing the name of a geographical feature in a national park typically involves a lengthy process, requiring approval from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and potentially an act of Congress. This suggests that any attempt to revert the name could face significant procedural and political hurdles.
I’m surprised he doesn’t want to name it after himself.
I agree with Miles moms comment above.
trump trying to put that dog dick in every aspect of our lives, snow brains keep Trump rhetoric free no place for that bullshit here