Trump orders federal rename of Lake Ontario, sparking Canadian opposition
President Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America on US maps and documents. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change, emphasizing the lake's Indigenous name and historical significance. Several US governors also declined to adopt the new name.
The executive order applies only to U.S. federal maps and records, leaving Canadian territory, international bodies, and global cartographers unaffected. Trump referenced his earlier Gulf of Mexico renaming, and displayed a map with the new label. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney noted the lake’s name originates from the Indigenous Wendat language, predating both nations. Several U.S. governors—including Kathy Hochul of New York and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan—publicly refused to adopt the change, while Wisconsin’s Tony Evers jokingly renamed Lake Michigan in a video. The action coincides with collapsed trade talks and new tariffs on both sides.
This symbolic gesture could further strain U.S.-Canada relations, already tense over tariffs and sovereignty rhetoric. Residents and officials in Great Lakes states may face confusion in federal documents, while Canadian citizens may view it as disrespectful to Indigenous heritage and shared geography. The move may also embolden similar nationalist naming efforts elsewhere, though its practical impact remains limited to U.S. federal usage.