President Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America
Image from White House
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order asking Interior Secretary Doug Bergum to update geographic systems and maps to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The lake has been called Ontario for centuries.
U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, left, and Interior Secretary Doug Bergum are seen during an Aug. 19 visit in East Lansing and Lansing. From U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett’s House website.
Trump’s declaration comes as he is escalating a trade dispute with Canada that has increased costs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods and delayed the planned opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. The Trump administration has imposed 50% tariffs – a tax paid by the producers and ultimately passed to customers – on agricultural products, dairy products, wine, furniture, whiskey and more.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to match the Trump tariffs starting Sept. 8 on products including steel, dairy, appliances and farm equipment.
Talks between the two nations have reportedly collapsed.
The lake touches both New York and Ontario.
The president’s executive orders do not compel Canada to change the name. The president ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico more than a year and a half ago.
U.S. government agencies now use Trump’s preferred name of Gulf of America; most of the world continues to call it the Gulf of Mexico.
