Friday, February 21, 2025

Google renames Denali back to Mount McKinley after Trump order

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The search giant officially updated its maps and search engine Saturday reverting Denali back to its original name — Mount McKinley.

President Trump ordered the renaming of Denali and the Gulf of Mexico by executive order during his first hours in office.

The search giant changed the body of water to the Gulf of America earlier this week — but had dragged its feet on Mount McKinley. 


Google has yet to change Denali back to Mount McKinley. Getty Images

Google Maps screenshot displaying the updated name from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America on February 12, 2025
Google Maps now directs people to the “Gulf of America” after Trump ordered the change. Google

The Alaskan mountain is the highest point in the US.  

Trump’s executive order directed the interior secretary to institute the new names within 30 days and update the federal Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

The system is a database maintained by the US Geological Survey (USGS). A Google spokeswoman said their renaming would follow after the GNIS update was complete. 

The Alaskan mountain was named for William McKinley in 1896, the year before he became president.

McKinley was assassinated in 1901.

The name stood more than a century until former President Obama ordered a change in 2015 after pressure from indigenous tribes in the area.

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