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Toronto, Ontario - In a bold move to defy President Donald Trump's attempt to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a large sign along the Canadian shoreline with the message: "Lake Ontario. Now and Always." The display is a direct response to Trump's executive order last week, which sought to change the name of the shared body of water.
The unveiling of the sign, which was met with applause from local residents, marks the latest escalation in a verbal spat between the two leaders. "Long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario. Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario," Ford declared.
The conflict began following the collapse of trade talks between the United States and Canada, which led to the US imposing new 50% tariffs on $20 billion (C$28 billion) of Canadian goods. In response, Canada announced it would implement "dollar for dollar" counter-tariffs next month.
Trump's executive order, signed on Thursday, declared the lake would be known as Lake America, effective immediately. However, while the US president has wide discretion over how the US recognizes landmarks, other countries are not required to follow suit.
Google Maps, however, has taken the unusual step of changing the name to "Lake America" for users in the US, while users in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario" and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names. This mirrors Google's previous naming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America after Trump's declaration in 2025.
Canadian officials have dismissed Trump's move as absurd. "This is just another example of President Trump's attempt to impose his will on the world, even when it comes to a shared body of water," said a statement from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs.
On Saturday, Trump shared several AI-generated videos on social media. One video showed him kicking over a Lake Ontario sign and replacing it with one that reads: "Welcome to Lake America." Another depicted a flock of Canada geese with Trump's trademark hair and holding rifles, patrolling the shoreline of the newly named Lake America.
Ford, standing in front of the new sign, said, "Just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we've set up this sign to remind them, it's Lake Ontario, now and forever." His comments echoed those of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who previously insisted "things must be called by their name, and this lake is called Lake Ontario - today and forever."
The names of four of the Great Lakes - Ontario, Huron, Michigan, and Erie - originate from indigenous words. Lake Superior was named after an anglicized French word. Lake Ontario, the smallest of the Great Lakes, borders both the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York.
Trump's executive order directs the US Department of the Interior to update the name change with the Geographic Names Information Service, the official repository of domestic geographic names in the US. Mexico similarly rejected Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, arguing that a single country could not rename a shared body of international water.
The ongoing dispute between Trump and Ford is a reflection of the strained relationship between the US and Canada, as well as the broader tensions between the Trump administration and its international allies. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the two countries will resolve their differences.
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