Trump orders renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America”

The order, issued under the President’s constitutional authority, declares that Lake Ontario has long been an integral asset to American exploration, settlement, commerce, and defense - from the colonial period and War of 1812 naval operations to modern shipping, manufacturing, and energy supply chains.

“Maritime commerce on the broader Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system - of which the Lake is the easternmost and gateway segment - continues to generate substantial economic activity for the United States, supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and billions of dollars in annual economic output, cargo value, and related business revenue, with our ports, carriers, and States deriving a significant share of the system’s benefits in iron ore, limestone, coal, agricultural products, and other bulk commodities,” the document reads.

The directive highlights U.S. contributions to the region, including supplying nine of the eleven icebreaking vessels that secure shipping lanes, and nearly $4 billion invested in freshwater ecosystem protection over the past decade.

“The United States Coast Guard supplies 9 of the 11 ice breaking vessels on the Great Lakes, securing commercial shipping lanes free of charge. The United States has invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem in the last decade, while Canada has invested far less in similar initiatives over the same period,” the directive reads.

Under the order, the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Board on Geographic Names, must, within 30 days, rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in all federal records and maps. The Geographic Names Information System will be updated accordingly, and all references to Lake Ontario in government documents will be removed.

Earlier, the Kennedy Center board had voted to add U.S. President Donald Trump's name to the performing arts complex and close its main building for renovations.