Executive Order 14172

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Executive Order 14172
"Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness"
Seal of the President of the United States.svg
Type Executive order
Number14172
PresidentDonald Trump
SignedJanuary 20, 2025
Federal Register details
Federal Register
document number		2025-02096  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Publication dateJanuary 20, 2025  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Summary
The executive order aims to rename national landmarks, including reinstating "Mount McKinley" and renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America".

Executive Order 14172, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness", is an executive order signed by Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States, on January 20, 2025, [1] the day of his second inauguration.

Contents

The executive order directs the reinstatement of the name "Mount McKinley" to the highest peak in North America, reversing the 2015 decision to call it by its centuries-old name Denali, and claims to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America". [2] [3] The order further outlines the process for updating the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, promotes the honoring of American historical figures, and includes provisions for consulting with relevant stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of national heritage and patriotism in the naming and renaming of landmarks.

Background

Denali versus Mount McKinley

In August 2015, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the name of the tallest mountain in North America would officially be reverted from Mount McKinley to Denali, meaning "the high one" in the Koyukon language and used by Indigenous peoples for centuries, in all federal documents. [4] [5] While on an Alaskan visit in the first week of September 2015, President Barack Obama announced the renaming of the mountain. [6] The Obama administration's proposal was met with criticism from the entire US Congressional delegation from Ohio (President McKinley's home state). [7]

In December 2024, President-elect Donald Trump stated that he planned to revert the mountain's official name to Mount McKinley during his second term. Trump's proposal was met with criticism from many prominent Alaskans. [8] [9]

Gulf of Mexico versus Gulf of America

For centuries, the Gulf of Mexico has been named after the Mexica. In early January 2025, President-elect Donald Trump made public statements about renaming the gulf to "Gulf of America". Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia responded by introducing House Resolution 276 to rename the gulf. [10] [11]

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Gulf of America referred to Nakhodka Bay in the Russian Far East, commemorating the Russian corvette America. [12] Prior to 2011, the United States Board on Geographic Names had received repeated complaints from one individual petitioning to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. [13] The name Gulf of America had also been used ironically, by comedian Stephen Colbert in 2010 as well as in a satirical 2012 bill by Mississippi lawmaker Steve Holland. [14]

Provisions

The order emphasizes the importance of honoring American history and heritage by naming national landmarks in a way that recognizes the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans.[ citation needed ]

Agency heads are directed to review and potentially replace their appointees to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (Board). The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with reviewing and making additional appointments to help implement the order. An appointment as acting secretary was made on January 20 by the incoming president on inaugural day. The Board is instructed to advance the policy of honoring American heroes in its naming and renaming decisions.[ citation needed ]

The order directs the Secretary of the Interior to reinstate the name "Mount McKinley" within 30 days, reversing the 2015 decision to rename it Denali. The surrounding national park area will retain the name Denali National Park and Preserve. The Secretary will also work with Alaska Native groups and local organizations to identify other landmark names that honor Alaskan history and culture.

The order directs the Secretary of the Interior to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" within 30 days, reflecting its importance to the U.S. economy and global commerce. The Secretary will update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and ensure that all federal documents reflect the new name.

The Secretary of the Interior is encouraged to seek public and intergovernmental input regarding other figures or landmarks that could be honored, particularly in light of America's upcoming 250th anniversary.

The order clarifies that it does not alter the authority of any executive department or agency, nor does it create new legal rights. It must be implemented in accordance with applicable law and the availability of appropriations.

Implementation

On January 24, 2025, the Department of the Interior announced that the names Mount McKinley and Gulf of America are effective immediately for federal use, and that the Board on Geographic Names is working to update the Geographic Names Information System to reflect the order. [15]

Within the Board on Geographic Names, the Foreign Names Committee is responsible for maintaining the names of international waters such as the Gulf in the GEOnet Names Server. [16] [17]

Reactions

Both of Alaska's senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, criticized the renaming of Denali to Mount McKinley, with Sullivan stating that he preferred the name given to the mountain by the Koyukon Athabascan people, and Murkowski agreeing and stating that one cannot improve on the mountain's name. [18] The Alaska House of Representatives passed a joint resolution urging the federal government to retain Denali as the mountain's official name. [19] The resolution has broad support in the Alaska State Senate. [20]

Sally Jewell, previously the Secretary of the Interior during the Obama administration, stated that she did not believe that Trump had the authority to change the name of the mountain, since it was under the authority of the US Board on Geographical Names. [18]

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said that her country and the rest of the world would continue to refer to it as the Gulf of Mexico. [21] She had previously mocked the idea of renaming the gulf by suggesting that North America be renamed to "Mexican America" (Spanish : América Mexicana), citing the Constitution of Apatzingán. [22] [23]

On January 23, 2025, the Associated Press announced that its wire reports would continue to refer to Gulf of Mexico while acknowledging Gulf of America, but that they would begin referring to Mount McKinley instead of Denali. Maps and other graphics accompanying the reports would continue to label Gulf of Mexico for the time being. The AP Stylebook also permits Gulf and Gulf Coast. [24] [25] [26]

As a result of the executive order, Google added the United States and Mexico to an internal list of "sensitive" countries that require special consideration on maps, alongside China, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and others. [27] On January 27, 2025, the company announced that Google Maps would begin showing Mount McKinley as soon as GNIS is updated. Gulf of America would appear to users in the U.S., Gulf of Mexico to users in Mexico, and both to users elsewhere, apparently based on the internet connection location. [28] President Sheinbaum asked Google to reconsider their decision, arguing that the U.S. government can only legally rename the U.S. territorial sea within the gulf. [29]

In an online opinion poll of over 1,000 U.S. adults by Reuters and Ipsos, 25% of respondents approved of renaming the Gulf of Mexico while 70% disapproved, making it one of the Trump administration's least popular executive orders and proposed actions. [30] [31]

A poll was conducted by the Juneau Empire about the renaming of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley between January 11-13 of 1,816 adult Alaskan residents with 54% opposing it, 26% supporting it and 20% having no opinion on the matter. [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denali</span> Highest mountain in North America, located in Alaska

Denali, officially known as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base-to-peak on land, measuring 18,000 ft (5,500 m). With a topographic prominence of 20,194 feet (6,155 m) and a topographic isolation of 4,621.1 miles (7,436.9 km), Denali is the third most prominent and third-most isolated peak on Earth, after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of the U.S. state of Alaska, Denali is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Range</span> North American mountain range

The Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, 600-mile-long (950 km) mountain range in the southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest end to the White River in Canada's Yukon Territory in the southeast. Denali, the highest mountain in North America, is in the Alaska Range. The range is part of the American Cordillera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denali National Park and Preserve</span> National park in Alaska, US

Denali National Park and Preserve, formerly known as Mount McKinley National Park, is a United States national park and preserve located in Interior Alaska, centered on Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The park and contiguous preserve encompass 6,045,153 acres which is larger than the state of New Hampshire. On December 2, 1980, 2,146,580-acre Denali Wilderness was established within the park. Denali's landscape is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga, with tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, snow, and bare rock at the highest elevations. The longest glacier is the Kahiltna Glacier. Wintertime activities include dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. The park received 594,660 recreational visitors in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Board on Geographic Names</span> US geographic naming government agency

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Barbara Washburn was an American mountaineer. She became the first woman to climb Denali on June 6, 1947. She was the wife and climbing partner of mountaineer and scientist Bradford Washburn.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denali–Mount McKinley naming dispute</span> Ongoing event in Alaskan history (since 1975)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Jewell</span> 51st United States Secretary of the Interior

Sarah Margaret "Sally" Roffey Jewell is a British-American business executive and environmentalist who served as the 51st United States secretary of the interior in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muldrow Glacier</span> Glacier in Alaska, United States

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References

  1. ↑ "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness" (Press release). The White House. January 20, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Trump to make good on Gulf of America promise with bonkers executive order". The Independent. 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
  3. ↑ Rogero, Tiago (2025-01-20). "Can Trump really rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America?". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-01-21.
  4. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior/Sally Jewell (August 28, 2015). "Order No. 3337: Change of the Name of Mount McKinley to Denali" (PDF) (Press release). U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Jon (August 30, 2015). "Old Name Officially Returns to Nation's Highest Peak". U.S. Board on Geographic Names (U.S. Geological Survey). Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  6. ↑ Davidson, Kate (September 6, 2015), Sarah Palin, Once Code-Named Denali, Likes McKinley Better, The Wall Street Journal , retrieved September 8, 2015
  7. ↑ Schuppe, Jon (August 31, 2015). "Mt. McKinley to Denali: How A Mountain's Renaming Got Tied Up in Politics". NBC News. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  8. ↑ "President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America's tallest peak". AP News. 2024-12-23. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  9. ↑ Hussain, Zoe (2024-12-23). "Trump vows to give tallest mountain its old name back" . Retrieved 2024-12-25.
  10. ↑ Fields, Ashleigh (January 9, 2025). "Greene introduces Gulf of America bill: 'It's our gulf'". The Hill . Washington, D.C. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  11. ↑ DeSantis, Mark K.; Normand, Anna E. (January 27, 2025). Trump Administration Actions: Geographic Naming. CRS Reports (Report). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. p. 2. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ Bogushevskaya, Victoria (2023). "Replaced but not forgotten: On Sinicised and Sinitic toponyms in Primoskij kraj" (PDF). Sulla via del Catai. 28. Trent: Centro Studi Martino Martini: 147.
  13. ↑ Jennings, Ken (2011). Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 72. ISBN   978-1-4391-6717-5 – via Internet Archive.
  14. ↑ Amy, Jeff (February 10, 2012). "Lawmaker Says 'Gulf of America' Bill Was a Joke". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Corpus Christi, TX. p. 7. Retrieved January 21, 2025– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. ↑ Frazin, Rachel (January 24, 2025). "Feds implement 'Gulf of America,' 'Mount McKinley' name changes". The Hill . Washington, D.C. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  16. ↑ Bush, Aidan; Clifton, Libby (January 22, 2025). "Along Gulf Coast, Donald Trump's plan for 'Gulf of America' touches residents' pride; some wonder what difference will it make". Gainesville, Florida: WUFT-FM. Fresh Take Florida. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  17. ↑ Dave, Paresh (January 28, 2025). "Trump's 'Gulf of America' Order Has Mapmakers Completely Lost". Wired . San Francisco. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Friedman, Lisa (2025-01-22). "Denali or Mt. McKinley? Alaska Lawmakers Weigh In on Trump's Renaming Plan". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  19. ↑ Stone, Eric (January 27, 2025). "Alaska House resolution urges Trump administration to keep the name Denali". Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Public Media . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  20. ↑ Brooks, James (January 29, 2025). "Pro-Denali resolution picks up more support in Alaska House before advancing to Senate". Alaska Beacon . States Newsroom. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Mexico's president amused by Trump's order to rename the Gulf of Mexico". Associated Press. January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  22. ↑ Janetsky, Megan (January 8, 2025). "Mexico's President Sheinbaum offers sarcastic response to Trump's 'Gulf of America' comment". Associated Press. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  23. ↑ Dale Leal, Nicholas (January 21, 2025). "De Golfo de México a Golfo de América: Trump renombra el mapa, aunque con improbables consecuencias internacionales" [From Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America: Trump renames the map, although with international consequences unlikely]. El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  24. ↑ Barrett, Amanda (January 23, 2025). "AP style guidance on Gulf of Mexico, Mount McKinley" (Press release). Associated Press. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  25. ↑ "The AP establishes style guidance on the Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley". Associated Press. January 23, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  26. ↑ Kellman, Laurie; Italie, Hillel (January 23, 2025). "Gulf of Whatnow? Trump's geographic renaming plans leave mapmakers pondering what to do next". Associated Press. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  27. ↑ Elias, Jennifer (January 28, 2025). "Google reclassifies U.S. as 'sensitive country' alongside China, Russia after Trump's 'Gulf of America' comments". Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: CNBC . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' for US users". Reuters . January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  29. ↑ Gerken, Tom (January 30, 2025). "Mexico asks Google Maps not to rename Gulf of Mexico". London: BBC News . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  30. ↑ Lange, Jason; Oliphant, James (January 28, 2025). "Americans sour on some of Trump's early moves, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds". London: Reuters . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  31. ↑ Kates, Margaret (January 29, 2025). "Latest poll: Renaming Gulf of Mexico opposed by most Americans". al.com (Digital). Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  32. ↑ Sabbatini, Mark (January 21, 2025). "Poll: Alaskans oppose reverting Denali back to Mt. McKinley by more than two to-one". Juneau Empire . Retrieved January 21, 2025.
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