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It’s official: U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” escalating tensions with Canada.
According to a report by the CBC, Trump criticized Canada and repeated his claims that the country has taken advantage of the United States on Thursday while speaking beside a map displaying the proposed name,
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What is so special about Lake Ontario?
Lake Ontario is unique as the final link in the Great Lakes system, carrying water from the upper lakes into the St. Lawrence River and ultimately out to the Atlantic Ocean.
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Was Lake Ontario renamed?
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, August 27, 2026, renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. federal maps and documents, though the name change is recognized only by the United States.
The move comes after trade negotiations between the two countries broke down Friday, with both sides accusing the other of making last-minute changes.
The report from the CBC goes on to explain that Prime Minister Mark Carney has said the agreement had become untenable, while the federal government announced retaliatory measures that are set to take effect next month.
Trump had previously floated the idea of renaming Lake Ontario during an escalating dispute with Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The two leaders traded insults, with Ford calling Trump a bully and Trump describing Ford as a less charismatic and intelligent version of his late brother, Rob Ford.
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also backed the move, writing on social media that bodies of water and places bordering the United States should “reflect the greatness of the United States.”
The proposed name change was met with disbelief from Canadian officials.
Carney said Canadians would continue to call the lake Lake Ontario “now and always.” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston was similarly dismissive.
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How is Lake Ontario divided between Canada and the U.S.?
One of North America’s five Great Lakes, Lake Ontario sits between Ontario and New York State. The Canadian province of Ontario, which joined Confederation in 1867, takes its name from the lake.
The name Lake Ontario dates back more than 400 years and comes from a Huron Indigenous term meaning “lake of shining waters,” according to Carney. The name therefore predates both Canada and the United States as modern countries.
Trump’s history of renaming geographic landmarks
The Lake Ontario announcement follows Trump’s controversial move last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
For more information about the report by the CBC, click here.
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