Legendary NFL broadcaster Al Michaels took a not-so-subtle jab at President Donald Trump throughout Thursday night time’s NFL preseason broadcast, joking in regards to the president’s choice to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
The second got here throughout Amazon Prime Video’s broadcast of the Cleveland Browns’ preseason sport in opposition to the New England Patriots. As the printed returned from a industrial break, the digital camera confirmed an aerial view of Cleveland, Ohio, with Lake Erie within the background.
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Michaels, 81, used the shot to reference Trump’s government order, which he signed earlier Thursday directing the federal authorities to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” for federal functions. The transfer got here as tensions with Canada over a commerce deal proceed to escalate.
“That’s Lake Erie. We predict it’s nonetheless referred to as Lake Erie. We’re not fairly certain at this level,” Michaels stated. “However we’ll be by Lake one thing like Ontario or no matter it will be referred to as by the point we get to Buffalo [for Week 1].”
Michaels added, “Anyway, you understand what I am speaking about. A few of you do. Learn the information.”
Al Michaels took a not-so-subtle jab at President Donald Trump throughout Thursday night time’s NFL preseason broadcast, joking in regards to the president’s choice to rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ (Getty)
His broadcast companion, Kirk Herbstreit, 57, appeared to remain out of the joke, responding solely with a short “A few of us do [know about the name change].”
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The joke got here simply hours after Trump signed the chief order renaming Lake Ontario. The change applies to U.S. federal utilization and doesn’t change what the lake known as in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the title change, saying the lake’s title is greater than 400 years outdated and predates each the founding of Canada and the U.S.
Carney stated on X that Canadians would proceed to name it Lake Ontario “then, now and all the time.” Different Canadian officers, together with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, additionally dismissed Trump’s transfer.
Trump’s government order directs the Inside Division to replace the federal Geographic Names Data System, and requires US companies to make use of ‘Lake America’ (Reuters)
Ford wrote on X, ‘It is Lake Ontario to Canadians and the remainder of the world. Now and ceaselessly,” whereas Houston stated, “It is Lake Ontario, buddy.”
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose state borders the lake, likewise rejected the brand new title, saying, “New York will not be calling it that.”
Trump’s government order directs the U.S. Inside Division to replace the federal Geographic Names Data System and requires federal companies to make use of “Lake America,” however it doesn’t have authority over Canada or different nations, worldwide organizations or non-public entities.
Trump’s order is the most recent in a sequence of geographic title adjustments pursued by his administration. In 2025, Trump directed the federal authorities to make use of “Gulf of America” as a substitute of “Gulf of Mexico,” whereas his administration additionally restored the title Mount McKinley for Alaska’s Denali.
Michaels has been Amazon Prime Video’s lead Thursday Night time Soccer play-by-play announcer since 2022, working alongside Herbstreit. He’s a legendary broadcaster finest recognized for his well-known “Miracle on Ice” name on the 1980 Winter Olympics.
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The Unbiased has contacted the White Home and Amazon Prime Video for remark.
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