New York governor rejects Trump's renaming of Lake Ontario
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state will not use the new name 'Lake America' for Lake Ontario, following President Trump's executive order. She criticized the renaming as part of the ongoing trade war with Canada. Other governors from Great Lakes states also mocked the decision.
The renaming order arrives amid escalating trade tensions, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledging dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against new U.S. tariffs taking effect September 8. Lake Ontario's traditional name translates to "lake of shining waters," and its watershed spans roughly 5.6 million residents on both sides of the border, serving as a vital shipping corridor connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
Hochul's rejection joins bipartisan criticism from other Great Lakes governors. Wisconsin's Tony Evers posted a video signing a McDonald's napkin renaming Lake Michigan as "Lake Wisconsin," while Vermont's Republican governor Phil Scott also voiced opposition. The lake borders New York and Canada's Ontario province, making it a focal point in the strained relationship between the two nations.
This dispute could deepen public frustration with the trade war while highlighting tensions between federal executive actions and regional governance. Residents and businesses along the Great Lakes may face economic