On Thursday, President Donald Trump made a controversial announcement, declaring that Lake Ontario, a significant waterway straddling the border between the United States and Canada, would henceforth be known as ‘Lake America.’ This decision was formalized with the signing of an executive order at the White House, amidst ongoing tensions stemming from a trade dispute with Canada.
During a press briefing in the Oval Office, the 80-year-old Republican leader expressed his disdain for Canadian officials, stating, “They’ve treated us very poorly. They’re nasty people,” which was part of his rationale for the name change.
The announcement is reminiscent of Trump’s previous decision in January 2025, where he rebranded the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. “I’ve been contemplating this lake name change for quite some time. We previously renamed the Gulf, and it has now become widely accepted as the Gulf of America,” Trump remarked.
He continued to elaborate on his vision, joking, “Now we have a Gulf and a lake. The only thing left is an ocean. Perhaps we should rename the Atlantic and/or the Pacific as well. Maybe both!”
In his inaugural address last January, Trump had indicated plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico, and shortly after, Google adapted its Maps service to reflect this change for users within the U.S., while still showing both names to users outside the country. The tech company explained that this adjustment was made in accordance with the executive order from Trump, maintaining the original name as an option for international users.
Given the contentious nature of the name change, it remains to be seen how Canadian authorities will respond to this unilateral decision.
