Michigan CEO loses job after posting AI-made image of her family in ‘Lake America’ sweaters

A map labeling Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ is displayed as Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 August 2026 in Washington DC.

Fotografia: Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesVisualizar imagem em tela cheiaUm mapa que rotula o Lago Ontário como ‘Lake America’ é exibido enquanto Donald Trump assina uma ordem executiva no Escritório Oval da Casa Branca em 27 August 2026 em Washington DC.

Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesMichiganMichigan CEO loses job after posting AI-made image of her family in ‘Lake America’ sweatersJane Smith reportedly used ChatGPT to edit photo to show name Trump ordered US agencies to use for Lake Ontario amid trade war with Canada.

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleThe CEO of a Michigan credit union is no longer employed there, according to the organization, after she posted on social media what appeared to be an AI-generated image of her and her family wearing sweaters emblazoned with the Donald Trump-associated words “Lake America”.

Na declaração que recentemente anunciou que Jane Smith deixaria de ser sua CEO, o Family First Credit Union também pediu desculpas “pela preocupação, decepção e dor que esta situação causou”.

Smith had been the chief executive officer of the Family First Credit Union when she posed for a family photo at the Detroit airport en route to Halifax, Canada.

She reportedly used ChatGPT to edit the family’s sweaters to say Lake America, which since late August has been the name that Trump ordered the US’s federal government agencies to use for Lake Ontario amid the president’s trade war with Canada.

Smith then shared the image on Facebook on 11 September – the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US – along with the caption: “Like our sweatshirts.

O post terminou com “Lol lol”. Ele se tornou viral e, em seguida, provocou repercussão negativa de pessoas no Canadá – onde uma parte do lago está.

Those online users found it disrespectful, and the post has since been deleted according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News.

Many in the comments highlighted that the post was particularly insensitive, given Halifax’s role in hosting thousands of stranded airplane passengers who were diverted there when US airspace closed on the day of the 9/11 attacks.

À medida que a controvérsia se intensificou, a Family First Credit Union – sediada em Saginaw, Michigan – afirmou que estava revisando a situação. Smith, por sua vez, pediu desculpas, expressando arrependimento, mantendo que o post foi resultado de mau julgamento e dizendo que entendia por que seria ofensivo.

Despite her apology, the credit union made it clear that it had parted ways with Smith.

After saying Smith’s interim successor would be Jason Acosta, the statement continued, “We sincerely apologize for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.

A declaração da Family First Credit Union sobre Smith veio após o repúdio mais amplo no Canadá e além da ordem executiva de Trump que mudaria o nome do Lago Ontário para Lago América.

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, explained in a post on social media that the body of water’s name comes from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people – and predates both the Canadian Confederation and the US’s declaration of independence from the UK.

The only one of the Great Lakes that Michigan does not border is Lake Ontario. New York is the only US state that Lake Ontario borders.

Trump’s order has no authority to rename Canada’s portion of the lake. It also has no power to compel Canada, international legal bodies, international mapmakers or the rest of the world to adopt a new name.