Pritzker trolls Trump by ‘renaming’ Lake Michigan as ‘Lake Illinois,’ joking he’d annex Green Bay

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker recently took a humorous swipe at President Donald Trump’s unconventional approach to renaming geographical landmarks. In a cleverly orchestrated video released on Friday, Pritzker announced that he was renaming Lake Michigan to “Lake Illinois,” in a playful nod to Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

In the satirical video, Pritzker, with a straight face and fake camera shutter clicks in the background, declared, “The world’s finest geographers have determined that a great lake deserves to be named after a great state.” He then went on to issue a proclamation officially changing the name of Lake Michigan to Lake Illinois, sending the proclamation to Google to update the world’s maps accordingly.

This lighthearted jab comes in response to Trump’s Executive Order 14172, where he made the controversial decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico and even changed the name of the highest peak in North America back to “Mount McKinley.” Despite Trump’s executive order, Google Maps still refers to it as the Gulf of Mexico until the Department of the Interior updates the Geographic Names Information System.

In a further jest at Trump’s expense, Pritzker turned his attention to Green Bay, Wisconsin, a city located near Lake Michigan. Drawing inspiration from Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland from Denmark, Pritzker humorously announced that Illinois would be annexing Green Bay to protect itself against external threats.

As the video concluded, Pritzker teased an upcoming announcement regarding the Mississippi River, ending with a cheeky “God bless America and bear down,” a playful reference to the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.

This light-hearted video comes amidst tensions between Pritzker and Trump, particularly regarding Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, which Pritzker deemed unconstitutional. The two leaders have also clashed over the distribution of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Pritzker claiming that Illinois only received a fraction of the requested supplies from the federal government.

The playful banter between Pritzker and Trump serves as a refreshing break from the usual political discourse, showcasing a more light-hearted and humorous side to governance. As the world grapples with serious challenges, a bit of levity and wit can go a long way in lifting spirits and fostering a sense of unity.