AP – McKinley descendant promotes a compromise Trump wants North America’s tallest peak renamed in honor of President William McKinley, drawing heat from many in Alaska. Jan. 23, 2025, 5:03 PM EST By Erik Ortiz King and many others who live in the mountain’s shadow say most Alaskans will never stop calling the peak Denali, its Alaska Native name, despite President Donald Trump’s executive order that the name revert to Mount McKinley — an identifier inspired by President William McKinley, who was from Ohio and never set foot in Alaska. For many who live near Denali, Trump’s suggestion was peculiar. “I don’t know a single person that likes the idea, and we’re pretty vocal about it,” King said. “Denali respects the Indigenous people that have been here and around Denali for tens of thousands of years.”
The sad part, from the perspective of Donald Trump is that it won’t last. And all that will happen is some money and time wasted and a lot of people insulted and inconvenienced. Even before the name was officially changed before, people have always called it Denali, and people will continue to. Eventually Donald Trump will be gone and they switch the name back because mostly nobody wants it.
My letter to reps:
Wasting time on changing the names of stuff on the map shows that the Trump administration doesn’t respect people. Not because people in Alaska or wherever didn’t ask for this crap, which that’s true – but because the waste of time and money on this is pointless while Americans have real problems. It’s a mockery of governance.