The Associated Press says it will still refer to Lake Ontario, not Lake America

The Associated Press has announced it will continue to refer to Lake Ontario by its original name, rejecting the name "Lake America." As a global news agency, the AP stated it must ensure place names are easily recognizable to a broad audience. Canada has expressed that it will not adopt the name change, which was decreed by U.S. President Donald Trump in an executive order.

The guidance note advises the AP's staff to refer to the lake as Lake Ontario, explaining the name change if relevant to a story. The AP acknowledged that no single entity determines the names of international bodies of water, emphasizing that Trump holds wide latitude over how the U.S. government recognizes geographical places and landmarks.

The agency clarified that Mount McKinley, located solely within the United States, was reverted to its original name by Trump, while it continued to use the Gulf of Mexico, as it forms a shared border with Mexico. The AP's guidance also highlighted the long-standing history of Lake Ontario's name, noting that 'Ontario' originates from the northern Iroquoian language family, and the province of Ontario itself takes its name from the lake.