Trump Orders Lake Ontario Renamed to Lake America
- Donald Trump has ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid an ongoing commercial dispute with Canada.
- The Lake Ontario renaming is part of a broader federal effort during Trump's second term to brand geographic features, government programs, and military assets.
- The Lake Ontario directive immediately drew pushback from regional and international leaders during heightened cross-border trade tensions.
Donald Trump has ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid an ongoing commercial dispute with Canada. The administrative directive aims to “recognize the extraordinary contributions of the American people and the rich heritage of our history, giving great natural monuments names that celebrate our shared successes”.
International Push to Rename Landmarks and Infrastructure
The Lake Ontario renaming is part of a broader federal effort during Trump’s second term to brand geographic features, government programs, and military assets. The administration previously designated the Gulf of Mexico as “Golfo d’America” through a federal executive action shortly after taking office. That designation did not receive international adoption. Trump also suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz to “Stretto di Trump” on Truth Social, asserting that the strategic waterway would be “under the control of the United States”. Additional domestic geographic changes include renaming the Palm Beach airport in early July, alongside proposals reported by American media to rename Washington-Dulles International Airport and a new stadium for the NFL team the Washington Commanders.
Opposition from Regional Officials
The Lake Ontario directive immediately drew pushback from regional and international leaders during heightened cross-border trade tensions. New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul rejected the change outright, stating: “New York will not call it that”. Canadian officials have similarly contested the federal renaming initiative.
Institutional and Military Renaming Efforts
The branding strategy extends across federal agencies, public institutes, and military hardware. The United States Institute of Peace was renamed the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace. A separate effort to attach the president’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts faced legal hurdles when a judge ordered the removal of the modified board’s signage; the center’s board now seeks the wording “Restored and renewed by President Donald J. Trump”. The Department of Defense has also incorporated the presidential branding into upcoming programs. The Navy announced plans for a new fleet of 15 battleships of the “Trump class”, though a Congressional Budget Office assessment indicates the first would take at least eight years to build with an estimated program cost of 275 billion dollars. Meanwhile, the Air Force designated its sixth-generation fighter jet as the F-47, referring to Trump as the 47th president of the United States.