Washington, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has ordered the federal government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, in another move that could deepen tensions with Canada amid an escalating trade dispute.
Trump signed the executive order on Thursday directing the Interior Secretary to work with the federal Board on Geographic Names to complete the renaming within 30 days. The change applies to US federal references and does not require Canada, international organisations or private map providers to adopt the new name.
In the order, Trump described the lake as an important economic and strategic resource for the United States, citing its role in shipping, recreation, commerce, defence and the freshwater ecosystem of the Great Lakes.
“The United States is the greatest protector of the Great Lakes, including the body of water currently known as Lake Ontario,” Trump said.
He claimed that the US Coast Guard operates nine of the 11 ice-breaking vessels on the Great Lakes and helps keep commercial shipping lanes open. Trump also said the US had invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem over the past decade, while Canada had invested far less in comparable initiatives.
The order states that the US would update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and remove references to Lake Ontario from the federal database. Federal departments and agencies will also be instructed to use “Lake America” on maps, contracts, official documents and communications.
Lake Ontario is shared by the United States and Canada, with New York State bordering it to the south and east and Canada’s Ontario province to the north, west and southwest. Its waters flow into the St Lawrence River and eventually the Atlantic Ocean.
The move has already been rejected in Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the lake would continue to be known as Lake Ontario, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul also rejected Trump’s renaming effort. The name Lake Ontario dates back more than 400 years.
Trump’s latest move follows his January 2025 executive order directing US federal agencies to use “Gulf of America” instead of the Gulf of Mexico.
The White House order said the Lake America renaming would be implemented in accordance with existing law and subject to available funding.
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