For weeks, a battle between the administration of President Donald Trump and The Associated Press has raged over Trump’s executive order that changed the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” The AP has stated that it would continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as such and has since been barred from White House press briefings. Now, the issue is being brought to court, with the AP suing Trump administration officials for violating the First and Fifth Amendments. But in that same executive order, another name was changed — one that the AP Stylebook has been updated to reflect.
Trump ordered that Mount Denali, the highest peak on the North American continent, be renamed Mount McKinley. “McKinley” was the name given to the mountain by American gold prospector William Dickey, but it has been known as Mount Denali to Native Alaskans for centuries. “Denali” comes from the Koyukon, an Athabascan people that settled near the mountain. The name, “Denali,” was first federally recognized 10 years ago as a testament to the Indigenous peoples who inhabit Alaska and their fight for recognition. Changing the name again to McKinley destroys this recognition, and who it’s named after makes the issue worse.
The mountain was named for William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States. He implemented American expansionism, overseeing the occupation of Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines after the Spanish-American War and the annexation of Hawaii. He believed that “Christianizing” Indigenous peoples was an act of kindness, and during his presidency, the government continued to forcibly convert Indigenous children through Alaska’s residential schooling system. He also pursued Manifest Destiny policies, approving the Curtis Act in 1898. The act took away around 90 million acres of Indigenous land for white settler use and dismantled tribal governments.
Why does Trump want to rename Mount Denali after McKinley? In his executive order, Trump explicitly praises McKinley for his implementation of tariffs, despite McKinley’s shift toward a more negative view on tariffs before his assassination. Trump might also admire McKinley for his expansionism, given his agenda to buy Greenland.
So what makes this name change so important? A name represents what the people who use it value. Under the name “Denali,” the mountain represents what the original word means — “the High One.” The mountain towers over the surrounding landscape. “Denali” is a daily reminder of Alaska’s great natural landmarks. “Denali” also recognizes the Indigenous peoples of Alaska and their continued involvement in American life. The name “McKinley,” on the other hand, represents America’s history of genocidal expansionism that has resulted in the mass loss of Indigenous culture across the United States. Reinstating the name McKinley replaces hundreds of years’ worth of Indigenous history with the history of one man who never even set foot in Alaska.
Let’s be clear: Most Alaskans are against the name change. Both Alaskan senators in Congress have expressed their disapproval, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski calling the change an “awful, awful idea.” The Alaska Legislature voted to condemn Trump’s executive order, and Indigenous leaders have spoken out in opposition.
Just because Trump changed the name doesn’t mean people will use it. A name is not something you can just reassign. It represents identity and what people value. Alaskans, both Indigenous and not, are clear: They value Denali.
