Trump’s Lake America font underscores the new name’s silliness
To announce his executive order renaming Lake Ontario last week, President Donald Trump brought props that wrote out his new name for the lake using his administration’s official font . A typeface chosen to convey seriousness ended up looking like a joke. During an Oval Office signing ceremony Thursday, Trump signed an order making the Interior Department’s Board on Geographic Names rename Lake…
President Donald Trump used his administration's official font to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office. The typeface, called Instrument Serif, is a condensed serif designed by Rodrigo Fuenzalida and is known for its serious and authoritative appearance. However, when applied to the new name, it ended up looking like a joke.
The font is typically used in serious government communications, such as executive orders and official documents, to convey credibility and authority. Trump's use of the font for this simple stunt rebranding of a body of water seems to undermine its power and relevance. The font was previously used by Trump's first term administration, but it has lost some of its weight under this second term.
The renaming has been criticized as silly and unhelpful, especially as it comes at a time when the trade war between the U.S. and Canada is expected to lead to higher prices for consumers. The font's use in this context is also worrying for Republicans in swing states, who believe the trade war will negatively impact their election chances.
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