Donald Trump Renames Lake Ontario As Lake America: What the Executive Order Says
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, directing the Department of the Interior to update federal maps, records and references. The decision comes amid heightened US-Canada tensions after trade talks collapsed last week. The lake borders New York and Ontario and is one of North America's five Great Lakes.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday, August 27, signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, directing the US Department of the Interior to implement the change. The order says the new name will be reflected in federal government references, maps, documents and communications.
The move comes amid strained relations between Washington and Ottawa after US-Canada trade talks collapsed last week. Lake Ontario is one of North America's five Great Lakes and is shared by the US state of New York and Canada's province of Ontario. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office had not immediately commented on the decision. Why Donald Trump Has Declared National Emergency in the US.
Donald Trump Renames Lake Ontario As Lake America
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Lake Ontario is renamed to LAKE AMERICA! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZFww8PexiW
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 27, 2026
Trump Orders Lake Ontario Renamed
The White House announced the change on X, stating: “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Lake Ontario is renamed to LAKE AMERICA!”
Under the executive order, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, working with the US Board on Geographic Names, is directed to take steps to rename the body of water as Lake America within 30 days. Federal references to Lake Ontario are also to be updated. The order describes the lake as an important US economic, historical and strategic asset and points to American investment in the Great Lakes system. Donald Trump Threatens To Rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ Amid Escalating Trade War With Canada.
Lake Shared By US And Canada
Lake Ontario forms part of the Great Lakes and is bordered by New York to the south and east and Ontario, Canada, to the north, west and southwest.
The White House order argues that the United States plays a major role in protecting and supporting the Great Lakes. It cites US Coast Guard icebreaking operations and federal investment in the freshwater ecosystem as reasons for the renaming. The lake also supports shipping, manufacturing, agriculture, energy infrastructure and municipal water supplies on both sides of the border.
Trump's decision comes only days after he first floated the idea of changing Lake Ontario's name. On Tuesday, Trump said he was considering the move after trade negotiations between the US and Canada broke down. He wrote that the United States was giving “serious consideration” to changing the name because Washington did not expect to do much business with Ontario.
Three days of intensive trade talks collapsed last week, with Washington and Ottawa blaming each other for the breakdown. Canadian officials had previously indicated they would not respond to every statement made by the Trump administration on social media. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also downplayed the practical significance of the proposal, highlighting Ontario's importance as a trading partner for the United States.
What Happens To The Name?
The executive order directs the Department of the Interior and the Board on Geographic Names to update the federal Geographic Names Information System and remove references to Lake Ontario from federal records.
The change applies to US federal usage. Because the lake is a shared international water body, the renaming does not automatically determine what Canadian authorities or international organisations will call it.
The order therefore creates a new official US federal designation, while the broader question of how the name will be used outside the US government remains separate.
Another Geographic Name Change Under Donald Trump
The move follows Trump's January 2025 executive order that directed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in US federal usage. The Lake America decision similarly uses a geographic name change as part of a broader administration emphasis on American national identity and US interests.
For now, the renaming adds another point of contention to an already difficult relationship between Washington and Ottawa, with trade negotiations also stalled.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2026 11:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
