President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing federal agencies to refer to Lake Ontario as Lake America in all official documents and records, effective within 30 days. The order, issued as part of a broader slate of geographic renamings, marks the latest in a series of name changes implemented through executive authority since 2025.
The directive follows Trump’s 2025 renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and the restoration of Mount McKinley to its original name, reversing a 2015 decision by the Obama administration. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) and the U.S. Department of the Interior have historically facilitated such changes through Secretarial Orders or BGN votes, including three federal programs in 1963, 1974, and 2022 that removed derogatory terms from hundreds of geographic features.
Reactions to the Order
The Seneca Nation of Indians, whose territory borders Lake Ontario, condemned the move as a violation of treaty obligations and an act of cultural erasure. Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca stated in a press release that the order is "blatant disrespect" toward Indigenous people and called for its immediate rescission. The nation referenced the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, signed during George Washington’s presidency, which established peace and recognized lands belonging to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, of which the Seneca are a member nation.
"The President cannot assert ownership over our culture or erase it through irresponsible political action," Seneca said. "His order should be rescinded, and the name Lake Ontario should be left as it is, reflective of the Seneca people, other Haudenosaunee nations and all Indigenous people surrounding the lake."
International Response
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both rejected the renaming, emphasizing the lake’s Indigenous origins. Carney posted on X that the name Lake Ontario derives from the Wendat word Ontari’io, meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big," and noted the name predates both the United States and Canada. Ford erected a sign at Fifty Point Conservation Area in Ontario reading, "Lake Ontario - Now and Always," with the French translation, "Lac Ontario - Aujourd'hui et pour toujours."
"You may have heard that President Trump is trying to rename this lake, all because he doesn’t like Ontario and Canada standing up for ourselves," Ford said in a video message. "But let’s be serious. Long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario, and long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario."
Scope and Authority of the Order
While the executive order mandates federal agencies to use the new name in official records, it does not compel foreign governments, private entities, or U.S. states to adopt the change. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names and the Department of the Interior have historically managed geographic name changes through BGN votes, Secretarial Orders, or Executive Orders, as documented in a timeline of notable renamings from 1963 to 2026.
The order aligns with broader federal programs in 1963, 1974, and 2022 that removed derogatory terms from geographic features, as well as recent reversals of prior renamings, such as the 2025 restoration of Mount McKinley to its original name. The timeline includes individual name changes and mass federal programs, with decisions made by the BGN, Secretarial Orders, or Executive Orders.
Background on Geographic Renamings
Federal geographic renamings have occurred periodically since the mid-20th century, often reflecting shifts in cultural, political, or diplomatic priorities. The 1963 mass federal derogatory term removal program was the first of three such initiatives, followed by similar efforts in 1974 and 2022. Notable examples include the renaming of Cape Canaveral to Cape Kennedy in 1963 (later reverted in 1973), the renaming of Harney Peak to Black Elk Peak in 2016, and the 2022 renaming of Mount Doane to First Peoples Mountain. The 2015 Secretarial Order that renamed Mount McKinley to Denali was reversed by a 2025 Executive Order.
The executive order on Lake Ontario follows a pattern of high-profile renamings initiated by the Trump administration, including the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in 2025. The order takes effect within 30 days of its signing, as directed by the White House.