Trump Moves to Rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ Amid Canada Trade Tensions

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to rename the iconic North American waterway Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” amid growing tensions with Canada over trade.

CNN reported the development on Friday (August 28). Trump announced the move on Thursday at the Oval Office while standing before a map of the Great Lakes that already labeled Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”

Trump said he had been considering the new name for some time, adding jokingly that the United States now had a gulf and a lake named after America and might eventually rename the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean as well.

Under the executive order, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the Board on Geographic Names have been directed to complete the renaming process within 30 days. Federal maps, documents, agreements and official communications are also expected to use the new name.

The US Geological Survey has already updated the name in its official electronic records, with printed materials expected to be changed soon.

However, the United States cannot impose the name change on Canada. Canadian authorities remain free to continue using “Lake Ontario” in their official documents and communications.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney quickly rejected Trump’s move, saying the name Lake Ontario has been used for more than four centuries—long before the United States and Canada became countries.

“Canada will call this body of water Lake Ontario forever,” Carney said in a post on X.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also rejected the change, saying Canadians and people around the world know the waterway as Lake Ontario and will continue to do so.

The renaming comes as trade relations between Washington and Ottawa have deteriorated. Trump has announced tariffs of up to 50% on some Canadian goods, while Canada has threatened additional tariffs on US products in response.

Trump previously ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America,” a decision that was also rejected by Mexico. Google Maps later displayed both names depending on the user’s location.

Lake Ontario lies between Canada’s Ontario province and the US state of New York. In his executive order, Trump argued that the lake’s deepest section and a significant portion of its waters are associated with US territory, making “Lake America” an appropriate name.

Meanwhile, trade negotiations between the two countries remain stalled. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said there are currently no active negotiations with Canadian Trade Representative Dominic LeBlanc, although communication between the two officials continues.