Trump Declares Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ in New Order

Donald Trump has signed an order renaming Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’, a move that has drawn strong reactions from Canadian officials.

President Donald Trump’s ongoing tensions with Canada have taken a surprising twist with his latest executive order to rename Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America.’ Signed on Thursday, the order states that the new name will be adopted immediately for federal maps, contracts, and documents. However, Canadian officials firmly indicated they would not recognize this change.

In a time when relations between Washington and Ottawa are strained, trade talks have faltered, resulting in new tariffs imposed by both nations. In light of these developments, Trump’s move to rename the lake comes as he threatens additional tariffs on Canadian auto and steel imports set to take effect on January 1.

Throughout the rising tensions, Trump has hinted at renaming the lake several times. Speaking via a video on his social media platform, Truth Social, he remarked that renaming the lake merely needed ‘a good pen and some intelligence,’ while he crossed out the name on a map.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum quickly supported Trump’s directive on social media, asserting that places crucial to the US economy should reflect its greatness. He claimed that a secretarial order was already issued to immediately rename the disputed body of water.

On the other hand, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was dismissive of the new name. He reinforced that ‘naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario,’ referencing the historical significance and origins of the name that dates back over 400 years to the Wendat word ‘Ontari’io,’ meaning ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big.’

Several Democratic leaders in the US have ridiculed Trump’s renaming effort. For instance, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers humorously posted a video of himself signing a napkin declaring ‘Lake Michigan’ as ‘Lake Wisconsin,’ poking fun at the absurdity of changing well-established names.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her disapproval more succinctly, stating simply that New York will not adopt the new name.

Lake Ontario, now subject to a name change, is the smallest of the Great Lakes by surface area and borders New York State to the northwest and Ontario to the southwest. The executive order revealed that the US has invested nearly $4 billion over the last decade to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem, including the provision of several ice-breaking vessels.

The US Geological Survey is also expected to update its Geographic Names Information System to reflect Trump’s name change. This is not the first time Trump has renamed a significant body of water; in January 2025, he also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

The ramifications of the renaming could extend beyond federal records, as digital map providers may need to adapt to the change. In the past, Google has cited official name changes as a reason to update its mapping services. However, some providers like MapQuest have already made it clear they will not change the name of Lake Ontario.

Meanwhile, users on social media have taken the opportunity to propose their own humorous suggestions for renaming the lake, with names ranging from ‘Lake Epstein Files’ to ‘Lake of Hormuz.’