President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid escalating tensions with Canada. Displaying a map with the new name, Trump criticized Canada, stating that the country was demanding treatment akin to a state despite not being one. He justified his actions by alleging mistreatment from Canadian officials, labeling them as “nasty people.”
The strained relationship between the two nations worsened following the breakdown of trade talks, leading to mutual accusations of last-minute changes. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney deemed the trade agreement untenable, prompting the announcement of retaliatory measures effective from September 8.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, a former governor of North Dakota, expressed pride in implementing the name change, asserting that the waters bordering the U.S. should mirror the nation’s greatness. Meanwhile, reactions in Canada ranged from disbelief to derision, with officials reaffirming their commitment to referring to the body of water as Lake Ontario.
Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes situated between Ontario and New York, derives its name from the Huron Indigenous people’s term “oniatarí:io,” translating to “lake of shining waters.” Carney emphasized the historical significance of the name, dating back over 400 years prior to the establishment of both Canada and the U.S. as independent countries.
Notably, this move echoes a similar executive order from the previous year when Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. While the change only applies to U.S. federal documents and geographic services, some online mapping services also adopted the modification. This decision sparked a geographic dispute that resulted in contentious interactions between the White House and media outlets.