President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' during trade talks with Canada, claiming it was part of an effort to 'Make the Great Lakes Even Greater.' The move echoed his earlier renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America.' Local residents and businesses along the lake’s shores, including Hedley Boatyard owner David Hedley, Shangri-La marina’s Sherri Middlestate, and Chateau Niagara Winery co-owner Jim Baker, rejected the change, calling it a distraction from real issues like affordability and trade tensions. Many emphasized the lake’s historical and cultural significance, noting its name derives from an Iroquoian word meaning 'lake of shining waters' and has been used since the 17th century. While the order applies only to federal entities and does not require international recognition, it sparked debate across upstate New York, where Trump won nine of ten lakeside counties in 2024.

Critics, including Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, publicly opposed the rename, with Hochul tweeting, 'New York won’t be calling it that.' Some, like camper Greg Boyd, suggested the change might be acceptable if it advanced equitable trade, though most viewed it as symbolic and unnecessary.