Trump orders Lake Ontario renamed ‘Lake America’ in Canada feud
Why it matters: The move lands after US-Canada trade talks collapsed and 50% US tariffs hit about $20 billion of Canadian goods.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 27 directing the US government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” escalating a dispute with Canada days after trade negotiations broke down. The order tells the Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information System for federal use. Lake Ontario borders New York and the Canadian province of Ontario, with about 52% of its surface area in Canada under a 1909 treaty. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change and said Canadians would keep calling it Lake Ontario. The step follows new US tariffs of 50% on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods and Canada’s plan for retaliatory duties.