Could Trump rename Lake Ontario? Yes, but here’s why he shouldn’t

Well, yes. He’s the president, and as such can make executive orders regarding the naming practices of federally regulated entities in the United States, such as the Coast Guard, and, more to the point, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, and its Domestic Names Committee, which is part of the Department of the Interior. Trump has done this sort of thing before, as in Executive Order 14172, known as “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” which was passed on the day of his second inauguration last year.