- Trump announced the name change in the Oval Office, saying "We're going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America," and that he had been thinking about it for a long time.
- Trump's executive order on Lake Ontario applies to U.S. federal usage and does not govern what Canada, international bodies or other organizations call the lake.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded on social media, saying "We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms," and that "Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario - then, now and always."
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded on social media: "New York won't be calling it that."
- Vermont's Republican Governor Phil Scott called Trump's decision "petty and disappointing" on X.
- Grand Chief Pierre Picard of the Wendat Nation in Quebec condemned the change, saying "President Trump is trying to erase our history," and expressed being "Outraged, appalled, shocked."
President Trump’s recent executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' has sparked significant backlash from Canadian officials and local leaders.
Trump announced the change during a press briefing, stating, "We're going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America." He emphasized that the decision reflects a broader shift in American identity and policy.1
However, the order only applies to U.S. federal usage and does not affect how Canada or international bodies refer to the lake. About 52% of Lake Ontario's surface area is in Canada, highlighting the lake's shared significance.
Canadian officials, including former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, criticized the move, asserting that the lake's historical name is 'Lake Ontario - then, now and always.' Carney remarked, "We know that America is changing... Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario."
Local leaders also expressed their discontent. New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated, "New York won't be calling it that," while Vermont Governor Phil Scott described the decision as "petty and disappointing." Grand Chief Pierre Picard of the Wendat Nation condemned the name change, stating, "President Trump is trying to erase our history." He expressed his outrage, saying, "Outraged, appalled, shocked: there are no other words to express how I feel following President Trump's decision to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America.'"467
“The order applies only to U.S. federal usage, not to Canada or international bodies. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said 'New York won't be calling it that,' while Vermont's Phil Scott called the move 'petty and disappointing.'”
