President Trump signed an executive order Thursday renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” effective immediately.
The order directs the Interior Department to update the Geographic Names Information System and federal records to reflect the new name.
Trump tied the move to the collapse of U.S.-Canada trade talks and new 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. “Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade… The Canadian officials have treated us very badly.” Trump has repeatedly cited trade figures in the dispute, stating on Truth Social that “Over the last 10 years, the United States lost, on average, 60 Billion Dollars a year with Canada. No more!”
A White House aide noted the lake’s deepest parts and most of its volume lie in U.S. territory.
