Trump to Reverse Obama‘s Decision, Restore ‘Alaska Mountain Named During Obama's Era"</strong></p>”>McKinley‘ Name to Alaska’s Highest Peak
WASHINGTON DC – Incoming President Donald Trump intends to reverse one of his predecessor’s decisions, restoring a European name to Alaska’s highest peak. The extinct volcano, currently known as Denali, was originally named after former US President William McKinley in 1917.
Trump, who has previously expressed unease with Obama’s 2015 executive order restoring the mountain’s indigenous name, has vowed to change it back. Alaska’s Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, however, has publicly opposed this move, arguing, "There is only one name that is right for the highest peak in North America: Denali – the High One."
Denali: A Name with Maturity and Humility
Derived from the Athabascan people’s language, ‘Denali’ means ‘the high one’ or ‘tall’ in English and reflects the mountain’s status as the highest peak in North America, towering at 20,310 feet (6,190 meters).
The name was officially recognized in 1975 by the Alaskan government but was formally embraced by the federal government only after Obama’s executive order in 2015. Murkowski, a long-standing proponent of the Denali name, had lobbied in vain for the change since the 1990s.
Trump’s Ties to McKinley
Trump has personal connections to the late McKinley, who served as the 25th President of the United States from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Both men withstood assassination attempts (Trump survived, while McKinley perished), and both were real estate magnates before entering politics.
Trump’s decision to rename Denali is consistent with his broader tendencies to reverse Obama’s executive actions and rebrand initiatives with his personal touch.
Stay tuned for further developments in this shifting landscape of North American toponymy.