Trump Renames Lake Ontario “Lake America” as Feud With Canada Escalates

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. federal purposes, turning one of North America’s most recognizable geographic landmarks into the latest symbol of his increasingly contentious relationship with Canada.

Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 27 directing the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change the federal designation of Lake Ontario to Lake America. Federal maps, documents and government communications are expected to adopt the new name.

The president had floated the idea just two days earlier as trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa deteriorated.

“The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, linking the proposal directly to his frustration with Ontario and the broader U.S.-Canada trade relationship.

The executive order argues that the lake has played an important role in American exploration, commerce and defense, including naval operations during the War of 1812 and trade through the St. Lawrence Seaway. The administration also points to billions of dollars in U.S. spending to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem and America's extensive icebreaking operations.

But the order does not literally rename the lake for the entire world.

Lake Ontario is shared by the United States and Canada, with New York along its southern and eastern shores and the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and west. Trump has authority over how the federal government refers to geographic features, but he cannot require Canada, international organizations, private businesses or even individual U.S. states to adopt the new name.

Canada has already rejected the change.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by emphasizing the Indigenous origins of the Ontario name and declaring that Canadians would continue calling it Lake Ontario. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was equally direct.

“New York won’t be calling it that,” Hochul said.

The controversy comes during a rapidly escalating trade fight between two countries that historically have enjoyed one of the world's closest economic relationships.

Trump recently imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian products after negotiations collapsed. Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs on American goods, further raising tensions between the neighboring countries.

Trump's decision also follows a familiar pattern.

On his first day back in office in January 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to recognize the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Mexico rejected that change, while American companies and organizations adopted different policies regarding which name they would use.

The Lake America decision could produce similar results.

Federal agencies will use the new designation, while Canadian maps will almost certainly continue displaying Lake Ontario. States, news organizations, mapping companies and private institutions will make their own decisions.

There is also considerable history behind the original name.

“Ontario” is derived from an Indigenous Iroquoian-language name commonly interpreted along the lines of “beautiful lake,” “great lake” or “lake of shining waters.” Versions of Lake Ontario have appeared on maps for centuries, long before either modern Canada or the United States existed.

Whether “Lake America” survives beyond Trump's presidency remains an open question. A future president could reverse the executive action, just as geographic names have been changed by previous administrations.

But for now, Americans may encounter something unusual when looking at federal maps of the Great Lakes.

Lake Erie will still be Lake Erie. Lake Michigan will remain Lake Michigan.

But according to the United States government, Lake Ontario is now Lake America.

I can also monitor the U.S.-Canada dispute and flag any major new developments for a follow-up Chronicle story.