Trump orders Lake Ontario to be renamed 'Lake America'
US President Donald Trump has announced an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' a move rejected by Canadian officials. The decision occurs amidst escalating trade tensions and tariff disputes between the two nations.
Why it matters
The symbolic renaming reflects the deteriorating diplomatic and economic relationship between the US and Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Lake Ontario will continue to be called by that name after US President Donald Trump said he was renaming it as "Lake America."
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes by surface area, which borders Canada's Ontario province and New York state.
"The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America," Mr Carney said on X.
"Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario - then, now and always."
Mr Trump signed an order in the White House in a move that comes amid a spiraling trade war between the world's largest economy and its northern neighbour.
"We're going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in