‘Lake America’: Trump Renames Lake in Response to Canada

President Trump signed an executive order directing that Lake Ontario be called “Lake America” for U.S. federal purposes.

He signed it at the Resolute Desk. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is instructed to update the Geographic Names Information System.

“We’re going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario, effective immediately, to Lake America,” Trump said. Displays behind him used the new label and the line “MAKING THE GREAT LAKES EVEN GREATER.”

BREAKING: "Lake America" becomes official as President Trump signs an executive order to change the geographic name of Lake Ontario "effective immediately." pic.twitter.com/NmEmshwlu1

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 27, 2026

The order binds U.S. federal usage only. It cannot force Canada or international bodies to follow.

Canadian maritime attorney Marc Isaacs told NBC News: “The Americans can call it whatever they want to call it. It is Lake Ontario.”

Two days earlier Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United States was “giving serious consideration” to the change “in that we don’t expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer.”

The signing landed in a trade fight. After talks collapsed, Washington put 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods. Ottawa matched on $20 billion of U.S. goods, including steel, dairy, appliances, and farm equipment.

Lake Ontario is the smallest Great Lake by surface area. About 53 percent sits on the Canadian side. The name is Iroquoian; the province of Ontario took it from the lake.

Fox News posted video of the signing as “Lake America” became official on the U.S. side.