Trump orders Lake Ontario to be renamed Lake America as US-Canada trade talks collapse

On Thursday, August 27, 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America". This decision came as trade tensions escalated between the United States and Canada following the collapse of negotiations. Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed his long-held desire for the name change, stating that the addition of a "lake" to "America" would be fitting, given the presence of a Gulf and an ocean.

The president also hinted at further name changes, suggesting the possibility of renaming the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well. Trump's administration has previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America", a move that has drawn criticism and ridicule from Mexico and beyond. While other nations have ignored this change, tech companies like Google have updated their maps to reflect the new name in the United States.

The name change occurred amidst ongoing trade disputes, with the Trump administration imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada, in response, vowed to retaliate with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on US products, affecting sectors such as steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, electronics, and hockey gear. The new tariffs impact approximately 5% of Canada's exports to the US.