President Trump Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America Amidst Mixed Reactions from Local Officials and Business Owners

The administration announced a new executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move prompted by escalating trade tensions with Canada. While the decision was made to signal a shift in the trade war, local reactions have been varied. Pouya Seifzadeh, owner of Ontario Play & Cafe, expressed amusement at the change, noting that his business will retain its original name despite the federal renaming. In Rochester, the city council unanimously signed a proclamation to keep the Lake Ontario name for official local use. Council President Miguel Meléndez stated that residents are more concerned with practical issues like housing and grocery costs than the name change, which many view as a minor distraction. The move follows a previous attempt to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, which was largely unpopular with the public. Even some Republicans, such as Rep. Tom Tiffany, have voiced support for keeping the original name. President Trump joked that he may eventually rename the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well.

Sources

• 13wham.com
  Lake Ontario business owner laughs off Trump's 'Lake America' name change
• The New York Times
  ‘Lake America’? These Upstate New Yorkers Aren’t Letting Go of ‘Ontario.’
• The Hill
  Seneca Nation requests reversal on ‘Lake America’ executive order
• The Washington Post
  On Lake Ontario — er, America — sailors have no plans to change course
• CNN
  Trump’s ‘Lake America’ move revives one of his biggest political flops