Seneca Nation condemns Trump’s renaming of 'Lake Ontario' to ‘Lake America’

The Seneca Nation is demanding that President Donald Trump reverse his decision to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” arguing that the move disregards Indigenous history and violates a longstanding treaty.

Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca said on Friday that Trump’s executive order shows “blatant disrespect” for the Indigenous people and their history tied to the lake.

“The President cannot assert ownership over our culture or erase it through irresponsible political action,” Seneca said.

Trump signed the order this week directing the Interior Department to update the lake’s name in the U.S. government’s geographic naming system within 30 days. 

The change applies to U.S. federal usage and does not alter Canada’s designation of the lake.

The Seneca Nation argues that the order conflicts with the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, signed by President George Washington and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. 

The treaty established a lasting relationship between the United States and the Haudenosaunee nations.