Politics
President Trump signs executive order directing federal government to rename Lake Ontario
The order instructs federal agencies to use the name Lake America, drawing pushback from New York's governor and Canadian officials.
The short version
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America across federal materials within 30 days.
- The administration cited a desire to honor American history and claimed the U.S. holds most of the lake's volume because its deepest point is within U.S. territory.
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state will not adopt the new name, while Canadian officials publicly criticized the mandate.
- It remains uncertain how widely the change will be implemented beyond federal agencies, as state governments and private businesses are not directly bound by the order.
Key facts
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System within 30 days to replace references to Lake Ontario with Lake America.[The Guardian]
- The executive order claims the U.S. holds most of the lake's water volume because its deepest point lies within U.S. territory.[The Guardian]
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul publicly stated that New York state will not use the name Lake America.[The Guardian]
- Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew criticized the executive order during a press conference following its announcement.[The Guardian]
- The mandate follows previous renaming efforts by the administration, including federal directives regarding the Gulf of Mexico and the United States Institute of Peace.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- It is unclear whether or how the federal government can compel state authorities or private businesses to use the new designation.[The Guardian]