Trump Orders Americans to Call Lake Ontario Lake America

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America," as part of his campaign to "Make the Great Lakes Even Greater." This announcement comes amid a collapsed trade deal with Canada, further heightening tensions between the two former allies. The lake has been known by its current name since the 1600s.

Trump argues that the United States should rename the lake because it spends more money on it than Canada does. According to the executive order, the U.S. is the greatest protector of the Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario. The U.S. Coast Guard operates 9 of the 11 ice-breaking vessels on the Great Lakes, ensuring commercial shipping lanes are free of charge.

Additionally, the U.S. has invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem over the past decade, while Canada has invested significantly less in similar initiatives during the same period. My colleague Alex Nguyen reported on Canada's response to the escalating trade war, which included a large support package for Canadian workers and firms.

While the plan primarily focuses on aiding businesses rather than providing direct funds to individual Canadians, it is a significant step that surpasses any efforts undertaken by the Trump administration. The White House has largely ignored the potential harm of its tariffs on American workers and consumers. The "Lake America" decision is seen as a return to Trump's theme of governance as a branding exercise, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America," the Defense Department as "Department of War," the Kennedy Center as "Trump-Kennedy Center," and informally, ICE as NICE.

However, Trump cannot force Canada or any other country to adopt his preferred naming conventions. It remains to be seen whether independent news, weather, and mapping firms will comply with the new name.