Executive Order Signed After Failed Trade Talks
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, August 27, 2026, officially directing the federal renaming of the cross-border body of water, according to AFP. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump stated that the change takes effect immediately. Behind the president’s desk, two maps displayed the location with the title “Lake America” written in red ink over Lake Ontario, alongside another reading “Making Great Lakes Even Greater,” as reported by AFP. CNBC Indonesia noted that the executive order applies strictly to U.S. federal usage and does not dictate the terminology used by Canada, international bodies, or other organizations. The action follows the collapse of trade negotiations between the United States and Canada the previous week, which prompted both nations to levy retaliatory tariffs, according to AFP and CNBC Indonesia. When asked why he targeted a longstanding ally rather than adversaries, Trump told AFP reporters that Canadian officials treated the U.S. poorly.
Canadian Leadership and Local Officials Reject the Renaming
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a sharp rejection of the move, declaring that the body of water will remain Lake Ontario “dulu, sekarang, dan selamanya” (then, now, and forever), as detailed by AFP. Carney noted on social media that the lake’s name dates back 400 years—long before the establishment of Canada and the United States—and derives from an Indigenous term meaning a large, beautiful lake, according to AFP and CNBC Indonesia. Territorial pushback also emerged within the United States. New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated on social media that her state will not adopt the new designation, according to CNBC Indonesia and Kontan. Approximately 52% of Lake Ontario’s surface area lies within Canada, while the remainder borders the state of New York, which shares direct jurisdiction over the waters. Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a fellow Republican, criticized the directive as a picik (petty) and disappointing move, according to CNBC Indonesia and Kontan.
Indigenous Condemnation and Broader Maritime Ambitions
Pierre Picard, Grand Chief of the Wendat Nation in Quebec, condemned the executive order, stating that President Trump is attempting to erase Indigenous history, according to CNBC Indonesia and Kontan. Picard expressed deep anger and shock over the renaming of a landmark rooted in the Wendat language, as reported by CNBC Indonesia and Kontan. During the Oval Office briefing, Trump also suggested that the administration might target ocean nomenclature next, remarking that the U.S. has a gulf and a lake, and might need to alter the names of the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, or both, according to CNBC Indonesia and Kontan. This follows a similar unilateral decree in January 2025 that changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a move that similarly bypassed international consensus and required two weeks for the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update federal nomenclature, as outlined by CNBC Indonesia and Kontan.
Did You Know?
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes by surface area, spanning the international boundary between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did President Trump change the name of Lake Ontario?
According to AFP and CNBC Indonesia, the executive order followed the collapse of bilateral trade negotiations and ongoing disputes over cross-border tariffs between the United States and Canada.
Does the new name apply in Canada?
What does the name Ontario mean?
According to statements from Prime Minister Mark Carney and Grand Chief Pierre Picard cited by AFP and CNBC Indonesia, the name originates from an Indigenous language and translates to a large, beautiful lake.
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