President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a move he said was effective immediately. Following the signing, Trump joked with reporters that the Atlantic and Pacific oceans might be the next bodies of water to receive American-themed names.
"So maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we'll change them both," Trump said.
The executive order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in coordination with the Board on Geographic Names, to formally rename the lake in the federal Geographic Names Information System within 30 days. The order also mandates that all federal maps, contracts, documents, and agency communications reflect the new name.
Trump cited investments in the Great Lakes ecosystem and the lake's historical significance to American trade, settlement, commerce, and defense as justifications for the renaming. The order notes that the United States has invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem over the past decade, while Canada has invested less in similar initiatives.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has sought to rename major bodies of water. On his first day back in office, Trump signed Executive Order 14172, "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," which directed the federal government to use "Gulf of America" instead of the Gulf of Mexico. Subsequently, Trump signed a proclamation on February 9, 2025, declaring the first "Gulf of America Day."
The executive order regarding Lake Ontario invokes the same policy, asserting the United States as the "greatest protector" of the Great Lakes system. The order states that the lake remains a major economic and strategic resource for the United States, crucial to the nation's economy and its people.
While Trump's comments about renaming the Atlantic and Pacific oceans were presented as jokes and did not involve any formal action, the renaming of Lake Ontario is an official directive for federal use. The order, however, does not control the name used by Canada, which shares the lake along with New York.
