Trump orders US to rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ amid Canada trade dispute

Washington — In an escalation of his trade dispute with Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" in U.S. geographical records. The executive order, signed by President Trump on Thursday, 27 August, mandates the update within 30 days. While the name change would only apply within the United States, Trump cannot compel Canada to adopt the new name.

The proposed alteration comes after the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods in response to Canada's refusal to engage in trade talks. Canada retaliated by imposing equal tariffs on U.S. products, including steel, dairy, electrical appliances, and agricultural equipment. At the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump displayed maps of the five Great Lakes, highlighting "Lake America" on Lake Ontario and displaying a slogan: "Make the five lakes great again."

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney vehemently rejected the name change, emphasizing the lake's Indigenous heritage and the historically established moniker, which predates both Canadian Confederation and U.S. independence.