Cleveland Council Mocks Trump's Renaming Tendencies by Declaring Part of Lake Erie the 'Gulf of Cleveland'

Cleveland City Council has playfully joined Donald Trump's trend of renaming geographical features, passing a resolution to rename a portion of Lake Erie as the "Gulf of Cleveland." The non-binding measure, introduced by council member Kris Harsh, was met with laughter during a Monday session.

Harsh, in a deadpan delivery, presented the resolution as a way for Cleveland to "claim our birthright," referencing Trump's actions such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" and Lake Ontario as "Lake America." Harsh mockingly referred to Trump as "our dear orange leader in D.C." and stated his belief that Trump's actions emboldened him to take the "extraordinary step" of renaming Lake Erie.

During his presentation, Harsh referenced a YouTube video of the council meeting, noting a specific timestamp for viewers to observe the proceedings. He also humorously suggested that tech companies like Google and Apple should recognize this "sovereignty" and display the "Gulf of Cleveland" on their maps.

Harsh's remarks continued with a satirical tone, dismissing the geographical inaccuracy of calling a lake a gulf by stating, "Words don’t matter." He also alluded to potential tourism benefits and even the possibility of a "golf course on the lake" where one could "golf, literally into the gulf."

The council member concluded by asserting that Cleveland is the "only authority on words and names," particularly those derived from names, in a clear parody of Trump's rebranding efforts.