The peak was once called Mount McKinley, and President Barack Obama’s administration renamed the mountain Denali in a symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says the name for America’s tallest mountain should remain Denali.
The News-Miner reports that he spoke at the Fairbanks International Airport late Saturday on his way to a Memorial Day ceremony in Denali State Park.
The peak was once called Mount McKinley, named after President William McKinley.
President Barack Obama’s administration renamed the mountain Denali, which translates to “the great one,” in a symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives in 2015.
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During the campaign last year, then-candidate Donald Trump vowed to change it back to Mount McKinley. He hasn’t renewed the sentiment since becoming president.
In a joint statement, Alaska’s congressional delegation says it looks forward to showing Zinke Alaska’s beauty and potential and the impact that Interior Department decisions have on Alaskans’ lives.