Pennsylvania state Representative David Maloney, a Republican, is requesting President Donald Trump to rename Lake Erie as “Lake Pennsylvania.” Maloney’s proposal aligns with similar renaming initiatives undertaken by the president.
Maloney is drafting a resolution directed at Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Congressional lawmakers. The resolution seeks actions to rename Lake Erie to “Lake Pennsylvania.” He believes this change is essential to reflect the lake’s contemporary identity.
Maloney stated, “This is Pennsylvania’s only Great Lake. Its modern economy and identity are increasingly tied to the boaters, anglers, families, and tourists who come to enjoy it. Ohio has plenty of shoreline. New York already has two Great Lakes. Canada has four others.” Lake Erie is the smallest and shallowest of the Great Lakes by volume, as noted by the Environmental Protection Agency. The lake supports approximately 12 million people in its watershed, with 10.5 million in the U.S. and 1.9 million in Canada.
This proposal comes after Trump enacted an executive order to rebrand Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” a change rejected by Canada. The renaming affects only the U.S. federal government, not forcing Canada, other international entities, or U.S. states to comply. However, Apple Maps and Google Maps adjusted the name to “Lake America” for U.S. users following the executive order.
Maloney’s initiative coincides with other suggested renamings by Trump, including New Mexico to “New America” and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. On his return to office in January 2025, Trump issued an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” Similar to the Lake Ontario renaming, this change affects only U.S. federal mapping, leaving Mexico and other entities unaffected.