Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th, he immediately signed countless executive orders in an effort to return America to its previous prosperity and glory. The most interesting of which, however, are the executive orders declaring that the Gulf of Mexico will be called the Gulf of America, and Denali, the highest peak in North America, will revert back to Mount McKinley.
The renaming of the two great American geographical features are a part of Trump’s plan to honor “American greatness,” as the executive order outlines. In 2015, former President Barack Obama changed the name of the 20,000 ft Mount McKinley to Denali. In an effort to remind the American people of a great figure who embodied the “America First” movement, Trump made sure to make renaming Denali a priority. Mount McKinley was officially named in honor of William McKinley in 1917, 16 years after he was assassinated during a public appearance in Buffalo, New York, though it was unofficially named McKinley in 1896 by a gold prospector.
In recent speeches and interviews, Trump has described President McKinley as a great and successful businessman just as he himself was. McKinley and Trump share similar economic and foreign affair views as they both believe in heavy tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods designed to promote the consumption and production of American-made goods. Just like the renaming of Mount McKinley, Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America was rooted in his desire to emphasize American sovereignty. In the executive order, he highlights the region’s economic importance as it is crucial for industries like energy production, trade, and fishing.
Trump hopes the rebranding of the Gulf will reinforce its significance as an American asset. The name change received both support and criticism as some viewed it as an act of patriotism, while others claimed the name “Gulf of Mexico” held historical significance. In 2019, Trump proposed purchasing Greenland and has revived the idea this year as part of his plan for U.S. growth. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has an abundance of rare earth minerals, oil, and would enhance national security. Trump’s interest in acquiring the territory could also be an attempt to counter Russian presence and influence in the Arctic region. After his proposal was met with rejection from both Denmark and Greenland, Trump suggested economic pressure with the possibility of imposing tariffs. In the past two weeks, Trump has made significant progress to restore America’s greatness and I’m confident there will be plenty more to come in the next four years.
