Trump Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America Amid Trade War

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 27, 2026, renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. The move occurred amid a severe trade war with Canada, characterized by the collapse of trade negotiations and the imposition of 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods. The White House justified the change by citing the lake's status as a strategic economic resource.

Google and Apple both updated their mapping services to display Lake America for users within the United States, citing synchronization with the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed that Trump personally contacted Apple to request the update, which was implemented on the first day of John Ternus's tenure as CEO. In contrast, MapQuest refused to adopt the name, launching a campaign and a custom-naming tool. This defiance propelled MapQuest to the top of the U.S. Apple App Store, with usage increasing 50 times over normal levels.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford rejected the designation, with Ford installing a protest billboard on the shore. Indigenous leaders and the Seneca Nation condemned the move as an attempt to erase history and a violation of a 225-year-old treaty. While U.S. users of major maps see Lake America, users in Canada continue to see Lake Ontario. Public opinion in the U.S. remains largely opposed to the change, with polls indicating opposition rates between 61% and 63%.