William McKinley, the 25th president, loved tariffs and expanded American territory. What more do you need to know?

In summoning people to his vision for the future, Donald Trump assembled a dizzying collage of time-honored and time-worn American myths, tropes and ideals.

McKinley, 123 years after his assassination, often ranks as an above average but not spectacular president in presidential rankings. For Trump, McKinley ranks high because of his love of tariffs.

The president-elect promises to rule with robber baron tactics and imperial belligerence—just like his role model, William McKinley.

Although it may seem awkward to revert to a name not originally associated with the mountain, Trump’s decision reflects a return to American traditions.

Among the roughly 200 executive orders President Donald Trump is expected to sign during his first day in office is a declaration to restore the name of the 25th president, William McKinley, to an Alaska mountain.

President Donald Trump said the Gulf of Mexico will be called the Gulf of America, while the Denali mountain peak will revert to its former name, Mount McKinley.

By Terri Guthrie Can you imagine an unexpected presidential inauguration? That is precisely what happened when Theodore Roosevelt took his oath of office on September 14, 1901. The events that led to Roosevelt’s inauguration in a residence in Buffalo,

Donald Trump announced plans to rename Denali to Mount McKinley during his inauguration. The decision reverses Obama’s recognition of the indigenous name, sparking debate over cultural heritage and historical narratives in America.

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 20, 2025. (Photo by Morry Gash / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MORRY GASH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

In his inauguration speech, President Trump announced plans to restore the name of North America’s tallest peak from Denali to Mount McKinley

On June 3, 1905, Republican President Theodore Roosevelt empaneled a “Committee ... he had been president since the assassination of William McKinley in 1901. This experience meant that ...