Trump orders Lake Ontario rename to ‘Lake America’ as trade war with Canada escalates

On August 28, US President Donald Trump announced that Lake Ontario would be renamed "Lake America" in response to US-Canada trade talks collapsing and the two nations imposing reciprocal tariffs. This move came after Trump's unilateral alteration of the Gulf of Mexico's name to the Gulf of America earlier this year, a decision Mexico has rejected.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney swiftly rejected Trump's decision, asserting that the name "Lake Ontario" would remain unchanged, both in the past and future. Carney emphasized that the name has been used for 400 years and originates from an Indigenous word meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big." The name change mirrors Trump's attempts to assert greater control over the Great Lakes by renaming them in January 2025.

Canada's response has been welcomed domestically, with Carney declaring the country to be "at war" after experiencing an "attack." Trump's executive order directs the Department of the Interior to update geographical references to the lake within 30 days, ensuring the federal government uses "Lake America." He justified the name change by citing the deepest part of the lake being on the American side, implying the US claims most of the lake's volume.

Trump has been facing low approval ratings due to the Iran war and economic challenges at home, as well as upcoming US midterm elections. He had previously hinted at renaming oceans bordering the US, even going as far as suggesting the possibility of renaming the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. During his second term, Trump has often made territorial claims, including proposing Canada as the 51st US state, laying claim to Greenland, and suggesting making Venezuela a state following the US capture of its leader.