Seneca Nation leader calls Trump's Lake America renaming 'unpresidential,' demands reversal
Seneca Nation's leader calls Trump's Lake Ontario to Lake America renaming "unpresidential," saying it violates the 1794 Canandaigua treaty.
TL;DR
- Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca called Trump's renaming of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' 'unpresidential' and demanded its reversal.
- Seneca stated the name 'Lake America' erases Indigenous culture and violates the spirit of diplomacy and the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty.
- The treaty, signed by President George Washington, promised peace and friendship with the Seneca and other Haudenosaunee nations, and the free use of their lands.
- The renaming occurred amidst a trade war between the U.S. and Canada, with Trump imposing new tariffs on Canadian goods.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also condemned the name change, emphasizing the historical significance of 'Lake Ontario' predating both countries.
- Several U.S. governors and representatives have also criticized the renaming, with some vowing legislative action to nullify it.