"Mount McKinley is so vanilla lol": Netizens react hilariously to Donald Trump signing orders to change Mount Denali's name to ‘Mount McKinley

Mount Denali, named by the Alaska Native Koyukon Athabaskan people, has once again been caught in the crossfire of American politics - and this time, it has got to do with Trump. Donald Trump swiftly revoked the 2015 renaming of the peak and reinstated its previous name, "Mount McKinley," by signing executive orders. Social media was rocked by this decision and the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," with responses ranging from bewilderment to pure humor.

The sentiment was well encapsulated by one person who,

"Mount McKinley is so vanilla lol,"

beneath a widely shared tweet that broke the news.

The internet quickly became lively due to the quick-witted jokes and the unavoidable political memes. Since Trump's attempt to reinstate the McKinley name—a title that honors the 25th U.S. president, William McKinley, who had no direct connection to the area—conflicted with the mountain's indigenous heritage, the decision to return Mount Denali's name struck an odd chord with many.

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Trump’s latest executive order has sparked a hilarious wave of memes and fan reactions as Mount Denali gets renamed once again

Unsurprisingly, Twitter was the prime battleground for the most humorous responses. One user sarcastically tweeted,

"Donald Trump has-"

accompanied by a meme of the stressed-out mom from Family Guy, perfectly summing up many people's disbelief.

The backlash grew stronger as netizens unpacked the history behind Denali’s original name.

“He literally changed the name back to what it was originally 🤦‍♀️,”

one user quipped, reflecting widespread frustration.

And, in true Gen Z fashion, the apathy toward this change became apparent.

“And just like Twitter, no one is calling it that,"

one tweet read, showcasing how Trump's actions may not change how people actually refer to the mountain.

For many, this renaming echoed a deeper frustration tied to America's history of indigenous erasure.

"Is this how the Native Americans felt back in the 1700s 😒," one user tweeted, alongside a GIF of a man shrugging, representing the exasperation many felt with yet another move dismissing indigenous roots.

Historians didn’t escape the spotlight either.

“Historians be like...💀”

one tweet stated, adding a GIF of a shocked Jerry from Tom and Jerry.

With Trump’s decision, centuries of discourse about respecting Indigenous names seemed swept away in a moment of political grandstanding.

Others couldn’t help but laugh at how prepared Trump seemed to be for moves like this.

“This man had plans before going into office lmaoooo!”

one user wrote,

acknowledging Trump’s history of making controversial headlines. Another tweet read,

“This is so unserious. Bfr,”

capturing how many see the renaming as one more notch in the belt of Trump’s larger-than-life persona.

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A political symbol or just theatrics? The history of Mount Denali’s name game

The transformation of Mount Denali from its original indigenous name to "Mount McKinley" and back again is both symbolic and politically fraught. Long before the United States annexed Alaska, the Koyukon Athabaskan people called the peak "Denali," which translates to "The Great One." But in 1896, a prospector who didn't seem impressed by native names called it "Mount McKinley" about William McKinley, who was running for president at the time.

For more than a century, McKinley's name remained associated with the peak despite his victory and subsequent killing. However, in 2015, former President Barack Obama authorized reverting the name to "Denali," which was interpreted as a sign of respect for the indigenous people. Before Trump chose to revisit the discussion in 2025, many believed the naming game was done.

The term "Mount McKinley" is once again at the forefront of a national discussion about political theater, heritage, and the authority of the presidency following Trump's executive order. The renaming has sparked important conversations about Indigenous erasure, but it has also given the internet a wealth of jokes that will surely outlive this executive decision.