Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers responded to President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" by humorously redrawing Lake Michigan as "Lake Wisconsin" on a napkin. Evers shared a video of himself doodling on a napkin at a McDonald's, stating, "See, I can sign napkins that say things, too." The move came shortly after Trump signed the order, which he claimed was a response to trade disputes with Canada.
Trump told reporters that he had been considering the name change for a long time, citing long-standing trade grievances. "Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade, very sadly," Trump said. He asserted that Canadian officials had treated the U.S. poorly. The executive order, which took effect immediately, also extended to parts of the lake within Canadian territory. This action follows Trump's earlier announcement of plans to impose additional tariffs on Canadian goods starting in January, prompting retaliatory tariffs from Canada scheduled to take effect on September 8.
This is not the first time Trump has attempted to rename a body of water. After taking office in January 2025, he signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." However, most U.S. news outlets continued to use the original name for the international body of water, suggesting limited recognition beyond his political base.
Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell also commented on Trump's executive order, suggesting on X that the lake should be renamed "Lake Natalie" after White House aide Natalie Harp, whose professional relationship with Trump has drawn scrutiny. Dingell's suggestion implied a need to protect the Great Lakes rather than rename them.