**Trump Signs Order to Rename Lake Ontario as Lake America**
In a controversial move, U.S. President Donald Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a decision announced on Thursday that is likely to heighten tensions between the United States and Canada. The name change is effective immediately and comes amid ongoing trade disputes that have already led to significant tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods traded between the two nations.
During a press briefing in the Oval Office, Trump stated, “We’re going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America.” He added that the idea had been on his mind for an extended period. This renaming follows his earlier decision to designate the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America shortly after taking office in January 2025.
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and serves as a natural border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. Approximately 52% of the lake's surface area is located in Canada, with the remainder falling under U.S. jurisdiction as outlined in a treaty established in 1909.
The announcement comes at a time when trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada have recently collapsed, with both sides accusing each other of hindering progress during three days of intensive discussions. The breakdown in talks has added to the already strained relations, which have been characterized by disputes over tariffs and trade practices.
While the U.S. administration has not yet received a formal response from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office regarding the name change, the decision is expected to be met with disapproval in Canada. Historically, the relationship between the U.S. and Canada has been strong, with a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealing that 72% of Americans hold a favorable view of Canada, a sentiment that surpasses approval ratings for other countries, including Germany and Mexico.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which is part of the Department of the Interior, will be responsible for updating the official federal nomenclature to reflect the new name in its Geographic Names Information System. This process took approximately two weeks following Trump's previous renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.
As the name change takes effect, it remains to be seen how this will impact diplomatic relations and trade negotiations between the two neighboring countries. The move has the potential to further complicate an already delicate situation, as both nations navigate their economic and political ties amidst growing tensions.