President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, August 27, 2026, officially renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. This action follows a prior social media announcement where the president indicated serious consideration of the name change, posting a map with the original name crossed out. The move is the latest development in an ongoing trade dispute with Canada.
The executive order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to reflect the new designation. The GNIS, in collaboration with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, is responsible for standardizing geographic names for federal use. While the president can mandate federal government use of the new name, it does not compel other nations or international bodies to adopt it.
Following the signing, the president posted a letter from the U.S. Geological Survey director on social media, confirming the change had been made and would appear in printed documents within days. When asked about the message this sends to Canada, the president stated there was no message, but added that Canada has been unfairly treating the U.S. on trade and military defense for an extended period.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded, emphasizing that Lake Ontario predates the Declaration of Independence, and its name, derived from the Wendat word Ontari’io, means the lake is beautiful and big. Carney noted the name is over 400 years old and asserted that Canada will continue to refer to it as Lake Ontario. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose state borders the lake, also stated that New York would not adopt the new name.
This renaming comes amidst escalating trade tensions. On Saturday, 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports, including wine and dairy, took effect. On Monday, the president announced additional 50% tariffs on all Canadian steel and automotive imports, set to begin in January. In retaliation, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada would impose matching tariffs of up to 50% on billions of dollars of U.S. goods starting September 8.
This is not the first time the president has sought to rename a significant geographic feature. He previously aimed to revert North America’s highest peak, Denali in Alaska, to Mount McKinley. Additionally, when he attempted to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, some private entities adopted the new name. However, the White House reportedly penalized a news organization for declining to use the new name for the Gulf, restricting its access to White House and presidential areas. The president also hinted at potentially renaming an ocean, mentioning the Atlantic or Pacific.
