President Donald Trump on Thursday, August 27, signed an executive order directing that Lake Ontario be known as “Lake America” for U.S. federal purposes.
The order was signed at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. It instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System, which works with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to standardize names used by the federal government.
“We’re going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario, effective immediately, to Lake America,” the president said before signing, adding that it would be taking effect immediately. Maps displayed behind him labeled the body of water “Lake America” and carried the phrase “MAKING THE GREAT LAKES EVEN GREATER.”
The action applies only to U.S. federal usage, as the U.S. government cannot require Canada, other countries, or international organizations to adopt the name. “The Americans can call it whatever they want to call it. It is Lake Ontario,” Canadian maritime attorney Marc Isaacs said in a statement to NBC News.
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BREAKING: “Lake America” becomes official as President Trump signs an executive order to change the geographic name of Lake Ontario “effective immediately.” pic.twitter.com/NmEmshwlu1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 27, 2026
There is no single international body that sets names for shared inland waters. The International Hydrographic Organization, of which both countries are members, focuses on surveying and charting rather than imposing names.
Thursday’s signing comes two days after Trump first floated a federal name change in a Truth Social post. “The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the president wrote. He later posted a map with “Lake Ontario” crossed out and “Lake America” written in gold letters.
It also comes amid a trade despite between the two countries. Following the break-down of trade talks last week, the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods, after which Canada imposed matching retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances, and farm equipment.
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes by surface area. It lies between New York and the Canadian province of Ontario, with the international boundary running through the water. Roughly 53 percent of the lake lies on the Canadian side.
The name derives from an Iroquoian term, often given as “oniatarí:io,” meaning “lake of shining waters” or “great lake.” European maps used the name by the mid-17th century. The province of Ontario, established in 1867, took its name from the lake.
