Trump's Lake Ontario Renaming Sparks Controversy and Confusion
By Editor • August 30, 2026 • 1 min read
In a surprising move, President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America.' The order was accompanied by a promotional map highlighting the new designation with the slogan, 'Making the Great Lakes Even Greater.'
The geographical reality, however, remains unchanged. While New York State borders the lake to the south and east, the province of Ontario lies to the north, west, and southwest. Google announced that it would update its maps to reflect this new name in the U.S., aligning with the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) guidelines.
However, confusion reigns as MapQuest, the veteran navigation service, declared it would not be adopting the name change and even introduced a playful online tool called 'Rename Lake Ontario.' As of Sunday, Apple Maps still displayed the original name, maintaining the traditional designation.
Critics have been vocal about the renaming, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressing her disbelief, stating, 'It is so patently absurd.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed her sentiments, labeling Trump’s move as 'juvenile.' The renaming comes amid increasing tensions between the U.S. and Canada, with recent tariffs complicating relations further.
Source: www.404media.co
