President Trump Signs Executive Order Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America

Fort Myers Naples, FL, August 27, 2026 — In a move that took effect immediately, President Trump has signed an executive order that officially changes the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. The directive was signed and enacted without prior public announcement.

Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America, is the last in the chain from west to east. It connects to Lake Erie via the Niagara River and to the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrence River. The lake’s shoreline spans parts of both Canada and the United States, with the province of Ontario, Canada on its north side and New York, United States on its south side.

The specific details surrounding the impetus for the executive order and the process leading up to its signing were not immediately available. The timeframe for the name change to be reflected in official government maps, charts, and databases has not been detailed. Similarly, the reaction from state or provincial governments bordering the lake, as well as from federal agencies responsible for geographical naming conventions and waterways, has not yet been widely reported.

Executive orders are directives issued by the President of the United States to federal agencies that manage federal government operations. They have the force of law, but their scope is generally limited to the executive branch.

Story summarized from the original created by Julia Manchester on thehill.com, see more information here.

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