Donald Trump and Canada are locked in a verbal battle over Lake Ontario. The US government has renamed it “Lake America.” In response, Canada erected a giant sign reading: “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.” Trump posted a video of himself tearing down an avatar of that sign and putting up one that says “Lake America,” then danced to YMCA. The naming dispute is the public face of a growing trade fight. The US has imposed a 50 percent tariff on Canadian steel. Ottawa has responded with its own tariffs.
Trump issued an executive order on Thursday directing US agencies to call the lake “Lake America.” This echoes a similar move with Mexico, where he renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Google Maps changed the name for US users, saying it reflects official government sources. Canadians will still see “Lake Ontario.” Users outside the US and Canada will see both names.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the renaming, noting that “Ontario” comes from an Indigenous Wendat word meaning “the lake is beautiful, the lake is great.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford erected a two-story billboard near Grimsby, saying Trump is trying to rename the lake because Ontario and Canada are “standing up for ourselves.” He added: “Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario.”
Manitoba’s Premier Wab Kinew compared Trump’s move to an aging rock band trying to revive an old hit, calling it “a little sad, and it’s not his best work.” Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard called it an attempt to erase Indigenous history. “It is unacceptable to have a president who can eradicate our history, our culture and our identity,” he said.
Trump also posted AI-generated images, including one showing Canada geese with Trump-like hair firing rifles to protect “Lake America” and another showing him kicking over a Lake Ontario sign. Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes. At 7,340 square miles, it is the smallest by surface area.
Referece
The Guardian, “Canada erects giant ‘Lake Ontario’ sign as spat with Trump over name escalates,” published August 30, 2026. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/30/canada-trump-lake-ontario-name