Denali or Mount McKinley? Trump’s Renaming Hits Google Maps

Denali or Mount McKinley? Trump’s Renaming Controversies Shake Google Maps — Google Maps interface showing the Gulf of America label alongside the Google Maps logo, symbolizing the recent renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as per Trump’s executive order.

What Happened?

Google Maps announced that it would rename some famous U.S. landmarks based on changes that former President Donald Trump had ordered.
The Gulf of Mexico will soon be called the Gulf of America for U.S. users.
Alaska’s Denali mountain will be renamed Mount McKinley, reversing a name change made during the Obama administration.

Backstory:

McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th U.S. president (1897–1901), was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Under McKinley’s leadership, the United States went to war against Spain in 1898 and acquired a global empire, which included Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. The U.S. government formally recognized that name until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives and the preferences of many Alaska residents. In recent years, the federal government has endeavored to change place names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.”

Things remained constant until Trump’s inauguration in 2025. Trump showed his intentions to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley during his inaugural address.

“America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world,” he said on Monday. “A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.” – Trump’s inaugural address.

When & Why Google is Making These Changes?

Google Maps follows names from official government sources, like the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
Trump issued an executive order to change these names, and Google Maps will be updated once the government database is updated.

Who Will See the Changes?

U.S. Users: Google Maps users in the U.S. will see the new names (Gulf of America, Mount McKinley).
Mexican Users: In Mexico, the Gulf will still appear as the Gulf of Mexico.
Other Countries: Google might show both names outside the U.S. and Mexico.

New Controversies are on their way:

What are natives saying?

Trump changing Denali back to McKinley is the stupidest thing in the world. Nobody in Alaska uses McKinley anymore; neither native Alaskans nor white ppl want it changed, and no one gonna use it. Trump doesn’t know anything about Alaska or its people. – Native Alaskan on his recent post on X.
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum mocked Trump’s idea of renaming the gulf, saying it doesn’t make sense.
Trump’s decision to revert it to Mount McKinley has upset some Alaskan leaders.

Stay Tuned to learn more about upcoming Trump decisions!

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Zoha Imdad Ali

https://www.staging.techi.com/

Zoha is a writer and tech enthusiast who creates content to inform, inspire, and engage diverse audiences. She focuses on the interplay between technology and society, providing clear insights to spark meaningful discussions and foster community connections.