Matt Walsh, the far-right political commentator and Daily Wire host, has criticized Donald Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America during a deepening trade dispute with Canada, calling the decision “kind of dumb.”
Walsh made the remark Thursday on X while responding to a White House post touting the change. Trump had signed an executive order shortly beforehand to make the new name official.
The 40-year-old commentator opened by conceding that his view would likely be “unpopular” among many of his conservative followers.
He then pushed back on the administration’s rationale with a brief history lesson, noting that “Lake Ontario” appeared on maps drawn by European explorers as early as the 1660s — “long before the Canadian province of Ontario was named,” Walsh wrote.
“There are several cities in America called Ontario – at least one of them predating the Canadian province by like 100 years – because the word originates with native tribes in North America,” Walsh continued.
“It’s not a Canadian invention. Canadians never uniquely owned the lake or the name.
“So in effect all you’re doing here is actually giving them credit for a thing that wasn’t theirs to begin with.”
Walsh’s blunt critique and history-focused argument quickly spread across X, drawing 3.3 million views.
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh – seen here on the Joe Rogan Experience back in 2024 – is pushing back on the president’s decision to rename Lake Ontario
President Trump signed an executive order changing the body of water’s name to Lake America at the White House on Thursday
The ‘Am I Racist’ director couldn’t resist a parting blow.
‘Yeah it’s funny when Canadians are upset I guess or whatever, but Lake Ontario, the name itself, is *American* history dating back many centuries.
‘Not sure how you own Canada by deleting your own history.’
The White House originally wrote: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Lake Ontario is renamed to LAKE AMERICA!’
An image of a map that reflected the name-change was attached.
A host of other commentators – on the left and on the right – criticized the move Thursday as well.
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle, of Pennsylvania, wrote: ‘If you’re wondering how much this will lower grocery or gas prices, the answer is $0.’
Vermont’s Republican governor, Phil Scott, dubbed the move ‘petty and disappointing’ in his own X post.
Walsh, 40, explained why he believed the name-change was not only needless but ‘kind of dumb,’ due to the history of the region
‘We should be at the negotiating table, finding a path forward that strengthens both the US and Canadian economies.
‘Further escalating tensions does nothing to help American or Canadian families and businesses,’ he wrote.
The rare bipartisan backlash came as trade talks between the two countries collapsed this week.
Trump enacted 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods over the weekend. Canada responded with similar tariffs on some US products.
Trump told reporters while signing the executive order in the Oval Office: ‘Lake of America was something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.’
He brought up how he renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America last year.
‘Now, all we need is an ocean,’ the President joked.
‘So, maybe we’ll have to change the name of the Atlantic and/or the Pacific. Maybe we’ll change them both.’
Trump bragged about also changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico during the Oval Office event Thursday, as a map with the headline ‘Making the Great Lakes Even Greater’ stood behind him. The move was met with some rare bipartisan backlash
A map emblazoned with the tagline ‘Making the Great Lakes Even Greater’ was propped up behind him.
Walsh, meanwhile, is no stranger to speaking out against the President despite being one of his most ardent supporters.
Trump’s decision to force Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino into early retirement this year received criticism from the commentator at the time. He is also an outspoken critic of the Iran war, as a supporter of ‘America First’ views.
