Trump has signed an executive order renaming the U.S. portion of Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” a largely symbolic step amid rising trade tensions with Canada.
The order directs federal agencies to update government maps, documents and databases with the new name. However, it does not affect Canada’s share of the lake or require international recognition.
The move comes after trade talks between the two countries collapsed and Washington imposed 50% tariffs on several Canadian goods. Canada has responded with retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of U.S. products.
Trump also repeated his claim that Canada benefits unfairly from U.S. trade and defense arrangements, while criticizing high Canadian tariffs on certain dairy products. Economists note that the U.S. trade deficit with Canada is largely driven by oil imports.
