Robert Corradino has never lived anywhere but Oswego, New York. As the only commercial port city on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario, everything in his city bears the lake's name — the streets, the convention center, the historic fort. In the days following President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, Corradino and other mayors in upstate New York said the decision is "regrettable" and could upset voters in a region where 61 percent supported Trump in the 2024 election.
Trump signed the executive order changing the name of what has been known as Lake Ontario for centuries. Hours after the announcement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who runs the only state that borders the lake, posted on social media: "New York won't be calling it that." The governors' opposition sets up a potential conflict between federal and state naming conventions.
Google Maps and Apple Maps officially changed the name to Lake America for U.S.-based users while Canadian users continue to see Lake Ontario. MapQuest, however, refused to use the new name and saw app downloads surge as a result.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats in New York have largely aligned with Hochul's rejection of the name change. State legislators from both parties joined the pushback at the local level, with Oswego County legislators approving a resolution rejecting the rename out of concern for rebranding costs to taxpayers and businesses.
Alex Morgia, a Democrat and mayor of Sackets Harbor, New York, said his community has been grappling with deteriorating U.S.-Canada relations. The village, located along Lake Ontario's eastern shores and home to many Canadian residents, hosted its annual Can-Am festival last month to commemorate shared heritage dating back to the War of 1812.
"Having good relationships with your international neighbors is important, particularly for people that live along the border on either side," Morgia said. He noted that last year's festival was the first time residents made floats featuring Canadian flags to protest Trump's calls to make Canada the "51st state."
Morgia added that this year's festival atmosphere was "somber" as tariffs against Canadian products have continued and relations with Prime Minister Mark Carney worsened. "I kind of hoped that the Canadian issue had gone by the wayside, but you know [Trump] seems to bring it up when he needs to," he said.
What the Right Is Saying
Corradino, a Republican who said he previously voted for Trump, has emerged as an unexpected voice of local opposition. He said the water is part of Oswego's identity and economy, with history tied closely to the lake's name.
"The water is part of our identity," Corradino said. "Not only our identity, but the economy and the history of the lake is tied to the city."
On Monday, several Oswego County legislators from both parties approved a resolution rejecting the new name. The measure stated it did not intend to diminish federal authority but aimed to "recognize the longstanding historical and regional significance of the name Lake Ontario." Corradino said at a summer concert series last Thursday that everyone he spoke with opposed the change and was unsure why it was happening.
Despite his party's control of the White House, Corradino expressed broader concerns about the direction of the country. "In general the consensus I see is it just seems like the country is heading in a direction that we're not all happy about," he said.
What the Numbers Show
Oswego has a population of approximately 17,000 people and is split between Democrats and Republicans, according to Corradino. Oswego County, however, is one of the reddest in New York state with 61 percent of voters supporting Trump in 2024.
Sackets Harbor has a population of about 1,400 people. Jefferson County, which encompasses Sackets Harbor, also voted 61 percent for Trump in 2024 and is described as overwhelmingly Republican.
The executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America mirrors a similar action changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to Gulf of America.
The Bottom Line
The pushback from upstate New York mayors represents an unusual case of bipartisan local opposition to a Trump administration decision, even in counties that strongly supported the president. The state resolution does not challenge federal authority but argues for preserving historical naming conventions.
What happens next will likely depend on whether other states bordering the Great Lakes adopt similar stances and how the issue plays with voters ahead of future elections. Residents along both U.S. shores say they are watching to see if the name change affects tourism, trade relationships with Canada, and local identity.