Fact Check: Did Trump announce the 'Melania Canal' to bypass Canada's Welland Canal?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid tensions between the United States and Canada over increased tariffs, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump has announced the ‘Melania Canal’ to bypass the Welland Canal in Canada. The claim has triggered mockery and concern, arousing speculation among online users.
Claim: Donald Trump to build 'Melania Canal'
According to the viral rumor, which surfaced as a screenshot, Trump announced a canal named after his wife and First Lady, Melania Trump, to bypass Canada’s Welland Canal.
The purported Truth Social post by the president read, “The FAKE NEWS is saying we need the Canadian canals that connect to LAKE AMERICA."
"Total lie! We don't need their small, low-energy Welland Canal! America built the Panama Canal; we built the Suez Canal-incredible, beautiful, high-IQ canals!"
"I have officially instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to build a much BIGGER, DEEPER, WIDER, and far more powerful canal bypass connecting straight into Lake America!"
"It is going to be magnificent! And we are naming it after my stunning, beautiful wife: THE MELANIA CANAL. Every American will be able to EASILY enter the Melania Canal from BOTH the front end and the back side for a very minimal fee! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The screenshot was shared by multiple X accounts, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, with many believing it to be an authentic post by Trump.
Fact Check: Donald Trump made no such post
The screenshot, however, is fabricated, as no such post exists on Trump’s social media handles. A search for the post on his Truth Social account and other commentary accounts that archive all his Truth Social posts yielded no results.
A closer look at the screenshot reveals a watermark stating, “@Mrs.Putin Satire.” Also, Trump’s username on the screenshot read, ‘@realDotardTurmp,’ while his actual username is ‘@realDonaldTrump,’ and the year mentioned is 22026 instead of 2026.
Hence, the claim is rated as ‘satire’ made for the sake of engagement.
Donald Trump renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'
The screenshot surfaced after Trump, on Thursday, August 27, changed the name of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' amid trade wars with Canada.
"We're going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America. The Canadian officials have treated us very badly. They're nasty people," Trump told reporters.
"The lake change, Lake of America, was something I've been thinking about for a long time, actually. As you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico, we changed it, and now it's very routinely the Gulf of America," Trump said.
