President Donald Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario to "Lake America," signing an executive order on Thursday that adds a symbolic layer to the already tense U.S.-Canada trade relationship. The order, which takes effect "immediately," directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System within 30 days.
U.S. Geological Survey Director Ned Mamula confirmed the change is already reflected in official USGS electronic documents, with printed materials to follow.
Tariff Standoff Poses Cross-Border Risk
The renaming comes on the heels of a breakdown in U.S.-Canada trade talks last Friday, which led to 50% U.S. tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods. Canada has responded with matching "dollar for dollar" retaliatory tariffs of up to 50%, set to take effect Sept. 8. In a small olive branch, Canada trimmed tariffs on seafood and fish products Wednesday, citing efforts to limit broader economic harm.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney didn't let the name change slide. In a post on X, he pointed out that Lake Ontario's name has Indigenous origins, predating both nations by more than 400 years. The name comes from the Wendat word Ontari'io, meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big," he wrote.
"We know America is changing," Carney added. "Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms."
A Broader Pattern of Renaming
This isn't Trump's first foray into renaming landmarks. He previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico "Gulf of America" in January 2025. His interest in name changes isn't limited to waterways either. He's also sought to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after himself.
Reports have also surfaced that the Navy may strip Black WWII hero Doris Miller's name from aircraft carrier CVN-81, built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (HII), and replace it with Trump's.
