US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America for federal purposes. The document was signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, in the Oval Office.
The order directs the Department of the Interior and the Board on Geographic Names to update the official Geographic Names Information System within 30 days. The change applies only to American maps, documents, and databases.
The decision is part of an escalation of the trade war with Canada. After the collapse of negotiations last week, the US imposed 50-percent tariffs on Canadian goods worth about 20 billion dollars. Canada announced retaliatory measures that will take effect in September.
Trump repeatedly threatened the renaming on social media, saying the US "does not expect to do much business with Ontario." After signing the order, he repeated his criticism of Canada, accusing it of "cheating" on trade and saying the country "treats us very badly."
Earlier, in 2025, Trump had already renamed the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Now he compared the two moves, noting that "we have a gulf and a lake."
Canada and the authorities of New York State, which borders the lake, refused to recognize the new name. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized that the lake will remain Lake Ontario. About half of the water area lies within each country's territory.
The order does not apply to international organizations, Canada, or private maps. Changes in US federal documents have already begun: the US Geological Survey has updated electronic versions.
Trump called the lake a "huge asset" for the US and part of the national heritage, emphasizing that the "deepest parts of the waters" lie in American territory. However, experts note that the symbolic gesture is unlikely to change economic realities.
