Representative Debbie Dingell is pushing back against President Trump after he suggested renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, The Hill reported. The move, which comes as part of his ongoing trade dispute with Canada, has drawn immediate criticism from the Michigan Democrat.
On Tuesday, Dingell took to X to share a screenshot of the President’s post on Truth Social, where he stated that the United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of one of the Great Lakes. Dingell suggested that the government should just call it Lake Natalie in reference to White House executive assistant Natalie Harp. She added, “Let’s just call it Lake Natalie so we know you’ll start protecting our Great Lakes.”
This threat to rename a major natural landmark follows a similar path taken by the President with the Gulf of Mexico, which he previously renamed the Gulf of America. It is worth noting that the name Ontario is already well established across the United States. You can find it on Ontario Road in the Reed-Cooke neighborhood of Washington, D.C., as well as in the Southern California city and major transportation hub located in San Bernardino County.
The focus on Natalie Harp has intensified in recent weeks
Several Democrats have taken jabs at Harp’s presence alongside the President. The scrutiny began after she boarded an Air Force jet with the President as he departed a NATO summit in Turkey last month. Reports indicate that the President chose to board an older Air Force One aircraft rather than his jet gifted by the Emir of Qatar. This decision resulted in some Cabinet members remaining on the older plane while the President, Harp, and other White House staff members departed on a third aircraft.
Senator Jon Ossoff has been particularly vocal regarding these travel arrangements. During a rally held earlier this month, he mocked the President and Harp, stating that the President only “wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.”
Ossoff later defended his position during an interview with MS NOW, where he argued that because Harp holds a government position as a White House employee, she and other officials working for the President should be permissible targets of political criticism. He also remarked, “It’s been amazing to watch this White House melt down over this all week.”
These comments have triggered a sharp response from Republican lawmakers. Senator Bernie Moreno labeled the discourse surrounding the President and Harp as “super misogynistic.” Eric Trump also weighed in to defend Harp, describing her as a “genuinely good person” and characterizing the public conversation about their relationship as “absolute trash.”
Harp remains a constant presence in the President’s orbit, frequently joining him on golfing trips and at Mar-a-Lago. Her role often involves drafting his social media posts and carrying a portable printer to provide him with hard copy information. Her connection to the President dates back to 2019, when she fought bone cancer. At that time, she credited the Right to Try Act, passed in 2018, with providing her access to experimental treatments.
She famously described the President as her “guardian and protector in this life,” and he responded by praising her during her battle with the disease. Despite this history, her brother, Preston Harp, has expressed concern about her level of devotion to the President, describing it as an “unhealthy obsession.”
Published: Aug 26, 2026 12:45 pm