Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in US
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' within the United States as part of an escalating trade dispute with Canada. Canadian officials have rejected the move, citing the lake's historical and indigenous naming roots.
Why it matters
This symbolic move highlights the deepening diplomatic and economic tensions between the US and Canada.
President Donald Trump has said he is renaming Lake Ontario to be known as "Lake America" in the United States as he escalates his trade war with Canada.
The Republican president signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake's name in the US geographic naming service.
Mr Trump cannot force Canada to follow his preferred naming convention, however.
Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
He has been floating the idea of the name change in recent days as the US announced it was imposing 50% tariffs on 20 billion dollars worth of Canadian goods over the weekend after talks between the countries broke down.
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