Americans in Canada decry Trump's 'Lake America' renaming as 'childish' and 'embarrassing'

American expatriates living across Canada have joined the widespread condemnation of former U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," with many describing the move as petty, historically ignorant, and diplomatically damaging. The unilateral decision, made amid escalating trade tensions between the two countries, has drawn particular ire from Americans who chose Canada as their new home, with several calling it emblematic of Trump's divisive leadership style.

Expats express outrage over renaming stunt

Ben Davis, a retired law professor who relocated from Virginia to Quebec in 2025, called the executive order "so beneath the office of the United States president" in comments to CityNews. The permanent resident noted that the lake's current name appears in the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty signed by George Washington, asking rhetorically: "The name was good enough for George Washington and I don't see why it's not good enough for Donald Trump." Davis dismissed the renaming as "nonsense" and "another one of his distractions of the day."

Dawna E. Wade, an American-born Canadian citizen now living in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, was equally scathing. "It's not his to rename," she said. "And even if it were in the purview of the United States, he doesn't get to do it unilaterally." Wade recently moved from North Carolina with her wife, citing safety concerns related to their sexual orientation, Jewish faith, and political views as primary reasons for leaving the U.S.

Political context of the renaming

The controversial order came during heightened tensions between Washington and Ottawa following failed trade negotiations and a public feud between Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford over tariffs. While the executive order only technically applies within U.S. jurisdiction, Canadian leaders have firmly rejected the change. Both Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney have stated the shared body of water will continue to be recognized as Lake Ontario in Canada.

Public opinion in the U.S. appears equally unenthusiastic about the move. A recent Ipsos/Reuters poll found just 14% support among Americans for renaming the lake, based on a nationwide survey of approximately 1,000 respondents. Chris Palermo, an American living in Hamilton, Ontario, described the decision as a "useless" reaction to Trump's failures in trade negotiations, while criticizing tech companies like Google and Apple for implementing the name change on digital maps for U.S. users.

Broader pattern of provocation

For many American expats, the lake renaming represents part of a troubling pattern under Trump's leadership. Palermo suggested such actions serve as deliberate distractions from domestic crises, saying: "Every time there is a groundswell of opposition to the Epstein files, the war in Iran, affordability, et cetera, something outrageous has to happen to take that approach away." He noted declining support for Trump even among former loyalists due to economic pressures exacerbated by trade disputes and military conflicts.

The lake controversy follows repeated threats by Trump about Canadian sovereignty, including musings about Canada becoming the "51st state" - rhetoric that proved the final straw for London, Ontario resident Chris Kubinski. The longtime U.S.-Canadian dual citizen recently renounced his American citizenship over what he called "negative rhetoric" from the former president. Kubinski, who moved to Canada as a child in the 1970s, condemned the lake renaming as "childish" and "bizarre," joking he was surprised Trump didn't name it after himself.

Canada as a refuge

For some Americans, the lake renaming symbolizes why they left their home country. Dawna Wade described her family's transition to Canadian life as overwhelmingly positive, saying locals "have been not only welcomed, but truly embraced." She added: "People are not only kind, but they are helpful. I don't know that I had any expectations before we moved, but our experience has far surpassed anything that I could have imagined."

This sentiment echoes among other American expats who see Canada's respectful bilateral approach as preferable to Trump's confrontational style. As Davis noted, the lake's existing name represents centuries of diplomatic history between nations, making its attempted erasure particularly offensive to those who value cross-border cooperation.

Why it matters

The lake renaming controversy transcends simple semantics, revealing deeper fractures in North American relations and the growing disillusionment of many Americans with nationalist political tactics. For the over one million U.S. citizens living in Canada (according to 2023 estimates from the Association of Americans Resident Overseas), the episode underscores why they chose to build lives outside their homeland - valuing stability, inclusivity, and respect for international norms over performative displays of power.

While the practical impact of Trump's order remains limited given Canada's firm rejection of the name change, the symbolic damage persists. The incident joins a list of actions that have eroded trust between the neighboring nations while alienating American citizens who maintain ties to both countries. As border communities and shared ecosystems like the Great Lakes region demonstrate, cooperative management benefits both nations far more than symbolic gestures designed to provoke.