Donald Trump Allegedly Announced a Canal Named After His Wife, First Lady Melania Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amid tensions between the United States and Canada over increased tariffs, a rumor is circulating on social media claiming that President Donald Trump has announced the creation of a “Melania Canal” to bypass Canada’s Welland Canal. The claim has sparked mockery and concern online, prompting speculation among social media users.
Claim: Donald Trump to Build ‘Melania Canal’
According to the viral rumor, which surfaced in the form of a screenshot, Trump allegedly announced a canal named after his wife and First Lady, Melania Trump, that would bypass Canada’s Welland Canal.
The purported Truth Social post attributed to 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 and garnered hundreds of thousands of views, with many users believing it was an authentic post by Trump.
Fact Check: Donald Trump Made No Such Post
The screenshot, however, is fabricated, as no such post appears on Trump’s social media accounts. Searches of his Truth Social account and other accounts that archive his Truth Social posts found no evidence of the purported statement.
A closer look at the screenshot reveals a watermark reading, “@Mrs.Putin Satire.” Trump’s username in the screenshot is also listed as “@realDotardTurmp,” while his actual username is “@realDonaldTrump.” In addition, the screenshot displays the year as 22026 rather than 2026.
Therefore, the claim is rated as satire, created for engagement and entertainment rather than as a genuine statement from Trump.
Donald Trump Renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’
The screenshot surfaced after Trump reportedly announced on Thursday, August 27, that Lake Ontario would be renamed “Lake America” amid escalating trade tensions 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.