- President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 27, 2026, renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America in the U.S. amid escalating trade tensions with Canada.
- The executive order updates the lake's name for the U.S. geographic naming service, but Canada is not obligated to follow this change.
- Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada collapsed late last week, leading to new 50% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.
- Canada retaliated by imposing tariffs on an equal value of American goods, totaling $20 billion.
- Industry Minister Melanie Joly stated, 'We'll always call it Lake Ontario,' reaffirming Canada's stance on the lake's name.
- Trump's administration has been involved in a trade dispute with Canada, which has seen relations deteriorate significantly.
- Trump has previously suggested renaming other bodies of water, indicating a broader agenda regarding U.S. geographic names.
President Donald Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' in the U.S., a move he announced on August 27, 2026, amid a deepening trade war with Canada.1234781112
"They feel entitled and we can’t have that," Trump stated, criticizing Canada’s trade practices.
The executive order, signed at the Resolute Desk, directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information Service to reflect the change.
This decision comes after the U.S. imposed new 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, prompting Canada to retaliate with equivalent tariffs.56
"The move is official, effective immediately," Trump declared, emphasizing that his administration has completed all necessary paperwork.
The name change is reminiscent of his previous order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which was similarly rejected by Mexico.
Trump hinted that he may pursue further name changes, suggesting, "So maybe we’ll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we’ll change them."
Despite Trump's actions, Canada has stated it will continue to refer to the lake as Lake Ontario, highlighting the complexities of international naming conventions and the ongoing trade dispute between the two nations.
“The order directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information Service, but Canada is not obligated to recognize the change. Industry Minister Melanie Joly said, 'We'll always call it Lake Ontario,' as trade tensions escalate with $20 billion in retaliatory tariffs.”
BBC
