Trump Signs Order To Rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America' With Immediate Effect As Canada Trade War Intensifies

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the US government to rename Lake Ontario“Lake America,” escalating an increasingly bitter dispute with Canada. The change is set to take effect immediately.

Trump had threatened Lake Ontario name change

Trump first raised the idea on Tuesday (August 25), saying the United States was giving“serious consideration” to changing the name because Washington did not expect to be doing much business with Ontario. His proposal came as trade negotiations between the US and Canada broke down.

The move follows Trump's earlier effort to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the“Gulf of America”, which similarly directed US federal agencies to use the new name.

Trump issued the order on the Gulf name change after returning to office, directing US federal agencies to use the new designation. As with the latest move involving Lake Ontario, the US government can adopt the name for its own official purposes but cannot force other countries or international organisations to follow suit.

Trump suggested that his campaign to rename major bodies of water may not end with Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico.

“So, if you think about it, we have a gulf and we have a lake. Now, all we need is an ocean,” Trump told reporters.

“Maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we'll change them,” he added.

Where is Lake Ontario?

Lake Ontario straddles the US-Canada border, with New York State on its southern shore and Canada's Ontario province to the north. Its shared status makes any unilateral US renaming largely a matter of how American government agencies refer to the lake.

Also Read | US threatens Iran's trading partners: Who are they? Where does India stand? Name change comes amid escalating trade tensions

Trump's decision comes as the US and Canada remain locked in a major trade dispute.

Washington has imposed steep 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods after negotiations collapsed, and Ottawa has announced retaliatory duties in response.

Canada announced that it would impose tariffs on about $20 billion worth of US imports, with the measures set to take effect on September 8. The duties target hundreds of products and match Washington's latest tariffs dollar-for-dollar.

Trump has also raised tariffs to 50% on Canadian cars, trucks and automotive parts, beginning January 1, 2027, further raising tensions between the two neighbours.

Also Read | US and Canada are bracing for prolonged trade dispute

MENAFN27082026007365015876ID1111589717