Seneca Nation Weighs In On Lake Ontario Renaming As Trump Bristles at Dem Gov for Refusing to Support ‘Lake America’

President Trump holds up his executive order renaming Lake Ontario (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) J. Conrad Seneca, upper right (AP Photo/Mike Groll) Gov. Kathy Hochul, lower right (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

The leader of the Seneca Nation called on President Donald Trump to reverse his renaming of Lake Ontario — while the president aimed his ire at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for refusing to back the change.

J. Conrad Seneca, the president of Seneca Nation, issued a statement slamming Trump’s attempt to change the name of one of the Great Lakes to “Lake America” as “blatant disrespect.”

Seneca Nation was the largest of the six Native American nations which comprised the Iroquois, which deemed the lake “Ontarí’io” back in the 17th century.

The word means “lake of shining waters,” according to the Center for Great Lakes Literacy.

“The President cannot assert ownership over our culture or erase it through irresponsible political action,” Seneca said in a statement Friday, calling for a reversal of Trump’s decision.

Trump showed no signs of backing down, instead targeting Hochul on Truth Social for thumbing her nose at the renaming:

Governor Kathy Hochul is for Canada, a Country that has been ripping off New York State for years, especially under her Administration, instead of the good ‘ol U.S.A. Can you imagine her saying that she won’t respect or acknowledge LAKE AMERICA. That’s why the Dumocrats are so bad for our Country. Vote for Bruce Blakeman for Governor of New York. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement, and will never let you down! President DJT

Hochul was quick to dismiss Trump’s renaming, writing on X Thursday, “New York won’t be calling it that.”

Trump officially signed an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America Thursday, telling reporters in the Oval Office he’d been thinking of making the change “for a long time.”

“This is official, effective immediately,” he said moments after signing the order.

The name change comes amid a heated war of words and economics this week between the United States and Canada.

Talks between the two nations broke down late Friday as the U.S. moved forward with 50% tariffs on Canada, which Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to match “dollar-for-dollar.”

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