Trump Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America via Executive Order, August 28

President Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the federal government to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, effective immediately. The order requires the Department of the Interior and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update federal records, maps, and databases within 30 days. The move escalates Trump’s trade war with Canada over tariffs and represents his second such renaming after changing the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in January 2025.

What the executive order requires

The order directs the Department of the Interior to update the federal Geographic Names Information System to reflect Lake America. Federal agencies must use the new name in official documents, maps, and materials. The Department of the Interior and Board on Geographic Names have 30 days to complete the changes. The order applies only to U.S. government usage and does not bind Canada, other nations, or private companies like Apple and Google.

Why Trump is making this move

Trump cited U.S. investment in Great Lakes protection as justification. The executive order states the U.S. Coast Guard supplies 9 of 11 ice-breaking vessels on the Great Lakes and the U.S. invested nearly $4 billion protecting the freshwater ecosystem in the last decade. Trump told reporters the move follows his January renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, saying, “We have a gulf, and we have a lake, now all we need is an ocean.” The order came after trade talks with Canada broke down and Trump announced 50% tariffs on Canadian goods.

Canada and U.S. governors reject the name

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the renaming, noting the name Lake Ontario comes from the Indigenous Wendat people and predates both Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose state contains the U.S. portion of the lake, said New York will not adopt the new name. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also dismissed the change. Several Great Lakes governors recalled that school children learn the acronym H-O-M-E-S for the five Great Lakes, which would no longer apply.

What this means for Americans

For most Americans, the name change affects only federal government documents and maps. Private companies, states, and international bodies are not required to adopt Lake America. The U.S. portion of Lake Ontario lies entirely within New York, and the state has already signaled it will not use the new name. The tariff dispute with Canada that prompted the order is more likely to impact Americans directly through higher prices on imported goods.

Final Thoughts

Trump’s Lake America executive order applies only to federal records and carries no legal force outside the U.S. government. With Canada, U.S. states, and private companies rejecting the name, Lake Ontario will likely remain the dominant name in common usage and on most maps.

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