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Trump Renames Lake Ontario as Lake America Amid Trade War with Canada

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26 sources across 17 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America within the United States. The order directs the Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information Service, the official federal repository for geographic names, within 30 days. The move comes as a trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada escalates following the collapse of trade talks last week. The U.S. has imposed 50 percent tariffs on 20 billion dollars worth of Canadian goods, and Canada has responded with retaliatory tariffs on an equivalent amount of American goods.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the name change, stating that the lake will be called Lake Ontario now and forever. Carney noted that the name is over 400 years old and predates both the Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He further explained that the name originates from the Wendat word Ontari’io, meaning the lake is beautiful and the lake is big. Other Canadian officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, dismissed the move as foolishness.

During the signing in the Oval Office, Trump stated that Canada has been ripping the U.S. off on trade for a long time and described Canadian officials as nasty people. He justified the change by claiming the U.S. holds the majority of the lake's volume because the deepest parts are on American territory. Trump also suggested he might rename the Atlantic or Pacific oceans in the future, noting that he already renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in January 2025.

Legal and international experts noted that the executive order only applies to U.S. federal usage and cannot force Canada or international bodies to adopt the new name. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also stated that New York would not use the new name. The renaming follows a pattern of territorial claims by Trump, including suggestions that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and claims regarding Greenland and the Strait of Hormuz.

How each side framed it

Left
This outlet framed the event as a history lesson provided by the Canadian Prime Minister in response to Trump's actions.
Centre-left
These outlets emphasized the historical and indigenous significance of the original name and framed the move as a provocative attack on reality.
Centre
These outlets focused on the procedural details of the executive order and the specific economic figures of the trade war.
Centre-right
These outlets highlighted Trump's justifications regarding trade imbalances and the specific reactions of Canadian leaders.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.