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EO 14172Executive OrderTrump 47 · R

Executive Order 14172

Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness

This executive order reinstates the name "Mount McKinley" for North America's highest peak (reversing its 2015 renaming to "Denali") and renames the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." It also directs agency heads to review and potentially replace their appointees to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names within seven days, and instructs the Board to advance a policy of honoring "visionary and patriotic Americans" in federal naming decisions.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 8629

Impact dates

  1. Secretary of Interior reinstates 'Mount McKinley' and updates GNIS

  2. Secretary of Interior renames Gulf to 'Gulf of America' and updates GNIS

  3. Agency heads review and consider replacing Board on Geographic Names appointees

Key directives

  • Agency heads with Board appointment authority shall review and consider replacing appointees within 7 days
  • Secretary of Interior shall reinstate 'Mount McKinley' within 30 days and update GNIS
  • Secretary of Interior shall rename U.S. Continental Shelf area to 'Gulf of America' within 30 days and update GNIS
  • Board shall advance policy honoring 'visionary and patriotic Americans' and update principles/policies/procedures
  • Board shall provide guidance for federal name consistency where Congressional action required
  • Secretary of Interior shall work with Alaska Native entities on landmark names
  • Secretary of Interior may solicit input on additional patriots to honor for semiquincentennial

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • EO takes effect January 20, 2025
  • agency heads must begin review of Board appointees

Near term (90d)

  • within 7 days: agency heads review/replace Board appointees
  • within 30 days: Secretary of Interior reinstates 'Mount McKinley' name and updates GNIS
  • within 30 days: Secretary of Interior renames Gulf to 'Gulf of America' and updates GNIS
  • Board to provide guidance on federal document consistency for Gulf renaming

Long term

  • potential additional renamings for semiquincentennial (2026)
  • ongoing Board policy changes to prioritize 'visionary and patriotic Americans'

Risks & tensions

  • Reverses Obama-era 2015 Denali renaming, creating inter-administration tension
  • Alaska Native opposition likely to McKinley reinstatement; Sec. 3(c) requires consultation but doesn't guarantee Native-preferred outcomes
  • International recognition of 'Gulf of America' uncertain—Mexico and Cuba not obligated to adopt
  • Board's new mandate to honor 'visionary and patriotic Americans' politicizes traditionally technical geographic naming process
  • Vague criteria for 'visionary and patriotic' create implementation uncertainty
Executive Order 14172: Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness · Executive Orders