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New York mayors reject Trump's 'Lake America' name change

Created at 2 Sep · 11:05 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Local officials and residents in Oswego County, New York, are pushing back against President Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America.' Concerns over rebranding costs and historical significance have led to a resolution rejecting the new name, with local sentiment favoring the original designation.

Key Numbers

61 percentOswego County voters for Trump in 2024 election
17,000Oswego city population

Who's Involved

Corradino
Mayor of Oswego, concerned about name change and constituent priorities
Trump
President who signed executive order to rename Lake Ontario
Kathy Hochul
New York Governor who rejected the name change

↳ Why This Matters

The rejection of the 'Lake America' name by local officials and the state of New York, despite a presidential executive order, highlights local resistance to federal directives and underscores the importance of historical and regional identity over politically motivated rebranding efforts.

Key facts

  • Oswego County legislators rejected President Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'.
  • The resolution cited concerns over rebranding costs and the historical significance of the name Lake Ontario.
  • New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated the state will not adopt the new name.
  • Google Maps and Apple Maps now display 'Lake America' for U.S. users and 'Lake Ontario' for Canadian users.

Local officials and residents in Oswego County, New York, are expressing frustration and opposition to President Trump's executive order that seeks to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America.' Mayor Corradino of Oswego highlighted that the water body is integral to the city's identity, economy, and history, and that constituents are more concerned with issues like immigration enforcement and foreign policy.

Despite Oswego County being a Republican stronghold, county legislators from both parties approved a resolution rejecting the name change. They cited concerns about the financial burden on taxpayers and businesses, while emphasizing the longstanding historical and regional significance of the name Lake Ontario. The sentiment among residents, as reported by Mayor Corradino, is one of frustration and confusion regarding the renaming initiative.

This local pushback mirrors broader resistance. Governor Kathy Hochul of New York publicly stated that the state would not adopt the new name. Nationally, adaptation to the name change has been mixed, similar to a previous directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America.'

Technological platforms have begun implementing the change, with Google Maps and Apple Maps now displaying 'Lake America' for users in the U.S. and 'Lake Ontario' for users in Canada. Users outside of these countries will see both names. The U.S. Geographic Names Information System, which provides official government data, is the source for these map updates.

Frequently asked questions

Mayors and county legislators are rejecting the name due to concerns about the cost of rebranding for taxpayers and businesses, and to preserve the longstanding historical and regional significance of the name Lake Ontario.

Oswego County is described as one of the 'reddest' counties in New York, with 61 percent of voters supporting Trump in the 2024 election.

Google Maps and Apple Maps now show 'Lake America' for users in the U.S. and 'Lake Ontario' for users in Canada, with both names visible to international users.

What Happens Next

01Further local and state-level responses to the name change may emerge.
02Other mapping services may update their display of the lake's name.

How It Developed

President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America.'
Oswego County legislators approved a resolution rejecting the new name.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stated New York will not adopt the new name.
Google Maps and Apple Maps updated to show 'Lake America' for U.S. users and 'Lake Ontario' for Canadian users, with both names visible to international users.

Sources

T1
These mayors live along Lake America’s shores. But they won’t be calling it that.Politico

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