A lot of people think President Donald Trump’s idea to change the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” is all wet, if social media reactions are any indication.

In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said: “The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer.”

Trump: "The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP" pic.twitter.com/ouMHmqyXup

Trump’s threat was in response to the current trade war with Canada, which began over the weekend when the president imposed new 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports.

Canada responded to the new tariffs with its own retaliatory tariffs on various U.S. goods, which may have inspired Trump’s very mature temper tantrum on social media.

Of course, this isn’t Trump’s first jingoistic effort to rename a long-recognized body of water to reflect his “America First” agenda: In February 2025, he claimed the Gulf of Mexico would now be the “Gulf of America.”

But if Trump thought his latest name change would win hearts and minds, he was sadly mistaken. Instead, there was ridicule. Lots of ridicule. Oh, and mockery.

Today, Canada is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Michigan to Lake Epstein as we won’t be doing business with pedophile rapist presidents any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter. - DB https://t.co/XmonwOnZoC

https://t.co/nWS0M03KeO pic.twitter.com/bLNGzef3ih

Is he trying to start another war? Canada's Navy is not just going to handover the naming rights without a fight. Trump is playing with fire here. https://t.co/tbVJu06GbB

Trump is the greatest idiot I witness in my lifetime.Just as internationally 'Gulf of America' isn't recognised, this won't be either.Not even passed by the US Senate anyway. https://t.co/Lb0bnelQ63

It's still astonishing - ten years into the Trump era - that our president so often behaves like a 10 year-old.And that so much of our national policymaking is based on the juvenile emoting of an adult who functions like a preteen. https://t.co/wblnjvc2e8

Some saw the name change as a sign Trump was losing his touch.

this is so fucking juiceless, ford tells trump to kiss his ass and 2016 trump would have cooked up a horrifying quip about his dead brother, now it's "waahhh maybe i'll rename one of the great lakes THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER" https://t.co/VJt5fggk63

Not naming it Lake New York? Fuck you,  Mr. President. https://t.co/JgCQauKCEW pic.twitter.com/eTuWNPnB4x

“Lake America.” Totally juiceless.Fastball is gone. pic.twitter.com/3qNesYTDJN https://t.co/KUUefPpjmD

Others wondered if a lake name change was what Trump should be prioritizing at the current moment.

Is renaming Lake Ontario and a trade war with Canada really how you want to win the midterms? Really?

can’t crank out those concepts of a healthcare plan from years ago tho https://t.co/qXm4X9YVKf

That'll lower the cost of groceries and gas! https://t.co/2MJgPD9xcR

when you’re in a war and everything is expensive as hell and your president tryin to name a body of water some dumbass name https://t.co/NdSueAOo5C pic.twitter.com/GaiQEUOUrt

A couple of people attempted to add facts to the discourse.

ACTUALLY, the Canadian province is named for the lake, which comes from the indigenous word “Ontarí'io,” or “Great Lake” https://t.co/tOeskBfw4y

When Trump announced "the Gulf of  America," GOP govs of states along the Gulf of Mexico nstantly embraced it, celebrating the new name and using it in official coms.Only NY borders Lake Ontario... I don't think Kathy Hochul will break a heel running to endorse this https://t.co/e96oFrE95E

But one person managed to sum up the whole thing in just one sentence.

It’s like a tantrum-prone five-year old has taken over the Oval Office. https://t.co/KDwvHzxTX9

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