Headline
Trump Proposes Renaming Denali to Mt. McKinley once more, in Recognition of the Tariff-Favoring Previous President
President-elect Donald Trump declared on Sunday his intention to restore the title of the country's tallest mountain to Mt. McKinley, fulfilling a campaign guarantee from 2016 to countermand former President Barack Obama's action to designate it Denali—a title long-used by the indigenous people of Alaska for the eminent peak.
Crucial Particulars
Trump expressed this intention while addressing a gathering in Phoenix organized by the conservative Turning Point Action nonprofit on Sunday. He asserted, "I'm gonna bring back the name of Mount McKinley," criticizing Obama as a "successful businessman" and a "strong supporter of tariffs," referring to an 1890 legislation that McKinley backed during his tenure in the House of Representatives, which raised tariffs substantially on imported goods.
Ever since campaigning, Trump has advocated for increasing tariffs on all imports, including a 60% levy on goods hailing from China. Previously, he had vowed to reverse Denali's rebranding to Mt. McKinley, a change Obama initiated in 2015 using his executive powers, to acknowledge the mountain's cultural significance to Native American tribes.
This 20,320-foot mountain sits in Denali National Park, making it not only the highest peak in the U.S. but also in all of North America.
Side Note
Trump also utilized his initial rally-style address since the election win to repeat his call to reconsider renaming North Carolina's Ft. Liberty to Ft. Bragg. The fort, previously named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg, was renamed in 2023.
Shocking Fact
The "McKinley Tariff" was overwhelmingly unwelcome among the American public, triggering price increases on consumer goods, and is widely deemed to have cost Republicans, who backed the proposal, numerous House seats in the subsequent election. Experts generally assume that Trump's ambition to raise tariffs would similarly harm the economy and lead to price hikes.
Key Context
The mountain was named in honor of the former president in 1896 after McKinley secured the Republican nomination for president. Obama renamed the mountain, embracing the name preferred by Alaska's indigenous population, once he had pledged during his 2008 campaign to better relations between the federal government and Native American tribes. Trump tweeted his disapproval at the time, stating that Obama's action would be "a huge embarrassment to Ohio," McKinley's native state. However, following his election in 2016, Trump's promise to restore Mt. McKinley's original name proved to be insignificant due to resistance from Alaska's two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.
Additional Reading Resources
- Will Trump's Tariffs Raise Prices? What To Know As He Targets Goods From Canada And Mexico (Our Website)
- Gas, Electronics And Groceries Could Become Pricier Under Trump’s Proposed Tariffs Against Mexico And Canada (Our Website)
- Trump Contemplates Reversing Obama's Decision to Rename Denali as Mt. McKinley (Our Website)
In 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to countermand former President Barack Obama's action and restore Denali's original name, Mt. McKinley, a commitment he reiterated during his rally-style address in Phoenix. Interestingly, President William McKinley, whose name the mountain was originally bestowed upon in 1896, supported a substantial increase in tariffs through an 1890 legislation during his tenure in the House of Representatives.
