Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America

US President Donald Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America, according to an executive order he signed. The move follows the collapse of trade talks between the US and Canada, which led to the US imposing 50% tariffs on $20bn (C$28bn) worth of Canadian goods. Canada plans to retaliate with dollar-for-dollar tariffs next month.

Trump has previously threatened to rename the lake on social media, saying the decision was official and effective immediately. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney noted that the name Lake Ontario has been used for over 400 years and that it predates the formation of the US and Canada. Trump has also changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, leading to a naming dispute and legal battle between Mexico and Google Maps.

The White House has blocked AP reporters from presidential events over the controversy. There is no international body that sets the names of international waters, so Trump's order does not require other countries to recognize the change. Canadian officials have dismissed the renaming as foolishness, insisting that the lake will always be called Lake Ontario.