‘Alaskans should decide’: Alaska lawmakers urge Donald Trump to keep Mt Denali name unchanged

The Alaska Legislature passed a bipartisan resolution on Friday urging US President Donald Trump to reverse course on his executive order to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley, citing the mountain’s historical and cultural significance.

The Alaska Senate voted 19-0 in favour of the resolution following a 31-8 vote in the House, reported Alaska Beacon.

Denali, which stands at 20,310 feet (6,190 meters), was officially recognised under that name in 2015 after a decision by the Obama administration. The change reflected the name given by Koyukon Athabascan Indigenous people, meaning “the high one” and honoured Alaska natives’ traditions, according to the news agency AP.

However, on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to restore the McKinley name, referencing the 25th US president, William McKinley, who never visited Alaska.

"President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent," Trump said when announcing the decision.

The Alaska Legislature has long opposed the McKinley name. The state first requested the name be changed to Denali in 1975 but faced opposition from Ohio lawmakers, who wanted to keep McKinley’s name on the peak, as per Alaska Beacon.

Representative Maxine Dibert, a Democrat from Fairbanks and a Koyukon Athabascan, sponsored the resolution and emphasised its cultural importance. "Denali is more than a mountain. It’s a cornerstone of Alaska’s history, a tribute to our diverse culture, and a testament to the people who have cherished this land for millennia", Dibert added according to AP.

The resolution, House Joint Resolution 4, urges the President, the secretary of the interior and the US board on geographic names to maintain the Denali name and halt any further renaming actions.

House speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent from Dillingham, reinforced this sentiment and was quoted by AP saying, "Denali is the name of our mountain; a name of great importance to Alaska natives and everyone across our state. It is clear from the bipartisan support in the legislature that Alaskans should decide."

Since the resolution is a state measure, it does not require approval from governor Mike Dunleavy but will be sent directly to US President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Alaska’s Congressional delegation.

Meanwhile, the US interior department has confirmed it is moving forward with Trump’s order but has provided no further updates on its implementation, as per AP.