The firestorm over President Donald Trump’s renaming spree has hit the National Weather Service.
The weather agency announced Monday that it would adopt Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America, swiftly stirring outrage from critics who lashed out at the president’s “ridiculous” order amid the escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada.
NWS official Courtney Draggon wrote that the agency was in the process of implementing Trump’s executive order renaming the lake that sits on the border between the U.S. and Canada. The NWS falls under the Department of Commerce, an executive branch agency that is required to heed presidential orders.
“Work is underway to update naming conventions as quickly as possible on online maps, weather products, websites and other materials across the NWS,” Draggon said.
The agency previously adopted Trump’s “Gulf of America” rebrand for the Gulf of Mexico and “Mount McKinley” for Denali.
“The National Weather Service naming Lake Ontario to Lake America!! Cowards!!!!” one X user fumed. “We will not forget long after the corrupt liar is out of office!! Losers!! Can’t trust any government department!!!”
“Not a single backbone among them,” another added.
“I think you mean the American Weather Service,” one user quipped.
Others found a fresh opening to attack Trump.
“Imagine if the president cared about making your life better with the same intensity and dedication he has for trolling and pettiness?” Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar said.
“Seriously the dumbest f—ing timeline, I hate it here,” one X user said.
“I have to say — Trump’s order is ridiculous. It will always be Lake Ontario for me. And the Gulf remains the Gulf of Mexico,” another added.
In his August executive order, Trump said, “The Lake will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy. In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that the Lake officially be renamed as Lake America.”
Trump renamed the lake shortly after trade talks with Canada broke down.
“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,” he wrote on Truth Social last month.
“Canada is becoming stronger and less dependent on America. We are already giving ourselves more than they can take away. And we are just getting started,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney fired back in a televised address.
