On January 22, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled 'Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness,' which officially renames Mount McKinley back to its original name in honor of President William McKinley and changes the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This order emphasizes the importance of honoring American heritage and the contributions of historical figures, particularly President McKinley, who served as the 25th president and led the U.S. during the Spanish-American War [62496457].
The mountain, originally named Mount McKinley in 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson, had its name changed to Denali in 2015 under former President Barack Obama. This change was made to recognize the mountain's significance to Alaska Natives, who refer to it as Denali, meaning 'the high one' in Athabascan [76370e0a]. However, the name Denali faced opposition from congressional members from Ohio, McKinley's home state [62496457].
Trump's executive order also directs the Secretary of the Interior to collaborate with Native Alaskan entities regarding landmark names and to update federal references to the Gulf of America, which is vital for U.S. oil production and fisheries [62496457]. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was noted as the first to use the new name in an official order on January 20, 2025 [62496457]. This move has reignited the debate over the naming of significant geographical locations in the U.S., reflecting broader discussions about historical recognition and the significance of names in American culture [76370e0a]. Current Alaska state officials, including Democratic Sen. Scott Kawasaki and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, have expressed their opposition to the name change, advocating for the retention of Denali [76370e0a].