Donald Trump has long understood the power of branding. As a businessman and president, he has associated his name with everything from skyscrapers to hotels and wines. Now, in his second term, he is applying this strategy to renaming parts of America.
Symbolic changes: Gulf of america and mount McKinley
On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. He also ordered Denali, the indigenous name for an Alaskan mountain, to be changed back to Mount McKinley, in honour of the 19th-century president who was assassinated while in office. These decisions reflect Trump’s strong belief in shaping America’s identity through its landmarks.
Meanwhile, Fort Bragg, which had been renamed Fort Liberty due to its association with a Confederate general, will revert to its original name. However, this time it will commemorate a different individual: Private First Class Roland Bragg, a soldier from World War Two.
Renaming landmarks: Reflecting national values
These name changes are not unprecedented. Previous presidents have also renamed monuments to reflect their values. Barack Obama changed Mount McKinley to Denali in response to years of lobbying by Alaskans. George W. Bush renamed Puerto Rico’s Caribbean National Forest to El Yunque National Forest to better reflect the territory’s heritage.
Trump’s decisions, however, send a distinct message. Allison Prasch, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, suggests that renaming is a powerful tool for reshaping a president’s vision of the nation. In Trump’s case, his name changes promote a nationalist, imperialist view of the United States.
Controversy and reactions to Trump’s name changes
Trump’s name changes have sparked considerable debate. A recent poll by Marquette University revealed that 71% of US adults opposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico, with only 29% in favour. In Alaska, a poll showed that while many of Trump’s voters supported the name change, a majority of Alaskans opposed it. Both Democrats and Republicans in the Alaska legislature urged Trump not to proceed with the change.
Meanwhile, the renaming of Fort Bragg has caused mixed reactions. While some local residents and military veterans supported the name change, others felt a deep personal connection to the base’s original name. This week, Trump’s Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reinstated the Fort Bragg name, but with a twist: it now honours Private First Class Roland Bragg, a World War II soldier.
