Donald Trump Renames Lake Ontario Lake America Amid Trade War

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 27, 2026, officially renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America for all United States federal purposes. The directive requires the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update official maps and databases within 30 days. Trump justified the move by citing American investment in the waterway and claiming the U.S. holds most of the lake's volume, while linking the action to a deteriorating trade relationship with Canada.

The renaming follows the collapse of bilateral trade negotiations on August 21, which led the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion of Canadian imports. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney implemented retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, scheduled to take effect September 8. Trump further escalated the conflict by threatening 50% tariffs on Canadian automobiles and parts starting in January 2027, asserting that Canada has been "ripping us off for years."

Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, rejected the name change, citing the lake's 400-year history and Indigenous Wendat origins. Ford protested by installing billboards and signs reading "Lake Ontario Now and Always" across Ontario. Opposition also emerged within the U.S., with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and several Democratic lawmakers condemning the order as a "pathetic attempt at distraction." While Google updated its maps for U.S. users to show Lake America, MapQuest refused the change. This action mirrors a 2025 executive order in which Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.