Trump Signs Order Renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," and floated the idea of renaming the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean next, as trade tensions with Canada continued to escalate.
"As you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico, we changed it, and now it's very routinely the Gulf of America," Trump said during the Oval Office signing. "So if you think about it, we have a gulf and we have a lake. Now all we need is an ocean," he continued. "So maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we'll change them both." Trump's comments about renaming either ocean appeared to be a joke; he did not announce any executive action or formal effort targeting either body of water.
What the Lake Ontario Order Actually Does
Trump declared the Lake Ontario name change "official, effective immediately." The executive order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information Service to reflect the new name, and argues that because more of the lake's volume lies within U.S.-claimed territory than Canadian territory, Trump has the authority to unilaterally rename it. In the order, Trump wrote, "In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation's economy and its people, I am directing that the Lake officially be renamed as Lake America."
When asked by reporters whether the move was intended as a message to Canada, Trump said he was sending "no message" with the name change, adding, "Lake of America was something I've been thinking about for a long time."
The Backdrop: An Escalating Trade Dispute
The renaming came as trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa deepened further. Canada announced Tuesday that it would impose tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on roughly 700 U.S. products starting Sept. 8, in response to measures the Trump administration had already imposed on Canadian goods. Since returning to office, Trump has placed tariffs on several major Canadian imports, prompting retaliatory measures from Canada and fueling an increasingly tense relationship between the two countries.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston criticized the Lake Ontario renaming directly in a social media post, writing, "We're into some real foolishness now. It's Lake Ontario, buddy."
Part of a Broader Pattern
Thursday's order follows a series of similar renaming efforts by the Trump administration. On his first day back in office, Trump signed Executive Order 14172, "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," directing federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." He later declared Feb. 9, 2025, the first-ever "Gulf of America Day" during a flight over the renamed gulf. Trump also reversed the naming of Alaska's Denali back to Mount McKinley earlier in his term.
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