Former President Trump's recent vow to reverse the 2015 renaming of North America's highest peak back to "Mount McKinley" has reignited a long-standing debate. The mountain, currently known as Denali, meaning "The High One" or "The Great One" in the Koyukon Athabascan language, was originally named after President William McKinley in 1896 by a gold prospector celebrating McKinley's Republican presidential nomination. Trump, referencing McKinley's Ohio roots, previously deemed the name change an "insult to Ohio."

This move is part of a larger effort by Trump to undo several Obama-era decisions, including the renaming of military bases bearing Confederate names. The historical context of the mountain's naming reveals a layered story involving a gold prospector, William Dickey, who chose the name as a jab at pro-silver prospectors supporting Democrat William Jennings Bryan. McKinley, the 25th U.S. president, was assassinated in 1901 during his second term.

William McKinley (1843-1901), the 25th U.S. president. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

While many Alaskans favor the traditional name Denali, Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski has publicly expressed her disapproval of Trump's proposal, calling it an "awful idea." She emphasized the historical significance of the name Denali, a name used for millennia. Fellow Alaskan Senator Dan Sullivan, originally from Ohio, also supports retaining the name Denali, acknowledging the importance of the name to Alaska Natives. In 2015, Sullivan stated that the naming rights belong to the Alaskan Natives.

Denali, near Talkeetna, Alaska (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

The late Ohio Representative Ralph Regula, whose district included McKinley's hometown of Canton, spent years blocking efforts to change the mountain's name. He strongly criticized Obama's decision in 2015. However, some Ohio officials, like Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, have expressed understanding for Alaskans' preference for Denali, suggesting a respect for local naming choices.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)