Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) issued a statement Thursday criticizing an executive order by President Trump to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." The governor's comments come as trade tensions between the United States and Canada continue to escalate, following the implementation of significant new tariffs by both nations.
The renaming order followed a public dispute between the Trump administration and Canadian leaders. Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently threatened to halt electricity exports to U.S. states, which prompted the president to first muse about a name change for the 7,340-square-mile lake that borders New York.
In a post regarding the executive order, Gov. Scott characterized the decision as "petty and disappointing," stating that the two nations should instead be at the negotiating table to strengthen their respective economies. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) also stated that her state would not be adopting the new name, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted on social media that the body of water remains Lake Ontario.
For residents in the affected regions, the immediate impact includes the potential for higher bills if electricity exports are restricted, as threatened by Premier Ford. The renaming of the lake follows a previous attempt by the administration to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." In that instance, the administration banned The Associated Press from certain press pool engagements for weeks for not using the preferred terminology, though the wire service rejoined the pool in April 2025 after winning a federal lawsuit.
The next significant developments in the trade dispute are scheduled for Sept. 8, when Canada’s reciprocal tariffs are set to go into effect. While the executive order for the name change was described as "effective immediately," the practical implementation remains contested by state leaders. In Vermont, Gov. Scott is currently seeking re-election as his approval numbers are slipping according to a recent poll.