The president of the Seneca Nation has publicly opposed an executive order signed by President Trump this week that directs the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” The order stipulates the change should be implemented within 30 days in U.S. geographic naming services.
Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca argues the renaming violates the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, which was negotiated by President George Washington and the Haudenosaunee confederacy—a coalition of six Indigenous nations including the Seneca—and established a pledge of perpetual peace and friendship. He stated that the president cannot assert ownership over Indigenous culture or eliminate it through executive action.
The lake’s name originates from the Huron Indigenous word “oniatarí:io,” meaning “lake of shining waters.” In Seneca language, the body of water is called “sga:nyodai:yoh,” translating to “beautiful lake.” The Canadian province of Ontario, established in 1867, derived its name from the lake.
The renaming effort emerged as part of escalating trade tensions between the United States and Canada. Trump announced new tariffs on Canadian goods after trade negotiations faltered, prompting Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the proposal, emphasizing the lake’s Indigenous heritage and noting that its current name predates both Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The prime minister cannot enforce the name change within Canadian territory.
Trump has characterized Canada as unfavorable to U.S. interests regarding trade and military matters, and has suggested the country could become the 51st American state.
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