Far-right commentator Matt Walsh has criticized President Trump's decision to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America," calling the move "kind of dumb" and suggesting it will benefit Democrats.
Walsh, a host for The Daily Wire, expressed his views on X on Thursday, responding to a White House post about the name change, which was made official via an executive order signed by Trump shortly before. The commentator acknowledged that his opinion might be unpopular with some of his conservative followers.
He explained that the name "Lake Ontario" has historical roots dating back to the 1660s with European explorers, predating the naming of the Canadian province of Ontario. Walsh also pointed out that several cities in the United States bear the name "Ontario," with some existing before the Canadian province was named, tracing the word's origin to Indigenous North American tribes. "It's not a Canadian invention. Canadians never uniquely owned the lake or the name," Walsh stated.
"So in effect all you're doing here is actually giving them credit for a thing that wasn't theirs to begin with," he added. His explanation garnered over 3.3 million views on the platform.
The White House's announcement read: "EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Lake Ontario is renamed to LAKE AMERICA!" The post included an image of a map reflecting the change.
The decision also drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania commented, "If you're wondering how much this will lower grocery or gas prices, the answer is $0." Vermont's Republican Governor Phil Scott described the move as "petty and disappointing," advocating for diplomatic solutions to strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and Canada.
This bipartisan backlash comes as trade talks between the two nations have recently collapsed. Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods over the weekend, prompting a retaliatory response from Canada.
President Trump stated that renaming Lake Ontario had been "something I’ve been thinking about for a long time." He also mentioned renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America last year and joked about potentially renaming the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Walsh has previously voiced opposition to some of Trump's decisions, despite being a supporter of the "America First" agenda. He had also criticized the president's directive for Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino to take early retirement and has been vocal against the Iran war.