US President threatens to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America”
August 26 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his increasingly bitter dispute with Canada by suggesting that the United States could rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” adding an unusual new dimension to a growing trade and diplomatic confrontation between the two countries.
Trump made the proposal Tuesday, August 25, in a post on Truth Social, saying the United States was giving “serious consideration” to changing the name because he did not expect the country to conduct significant business with Ontario.
The comments came as trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa broke down and tensions intensified over tariffs and other trade disputes.
The proposal appears to be largely symbolic. Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes and forms part of the international boundary between the U.S. state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. Any U.S. decision to use a different name domestically would not automatically compel Canada or other countries to adopt it.
The controversy comes amid a broader escalation in the U.S.-Canada trade relationship.
The Trump administration has imposed additional 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods, citing what it describes as discriminatory treatment of American commerce. The White House said the measures cover products including wine, hockey sticks and cement, while some sectors are subject to separate tariff arrangements.
Canada has responded with retaliatory measures. According to the Associated Press, Ottawa announced tariffs on more than 700 U.S. products, with the measures expected to affect goods including seafood, cheese, clothing and cosmetics. The escalating dispute has raised concerns over one of the world’s most deeply integrated bilateral trading relationships.
Canadian officials have largely dismissed Trump’s proposed name change.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and other Canadian politicians indicated that Canadians would continue referring to the body of water as Lake Ontario regardless of what name Trump chooses to use.
The latest dispute follows Trump’s earlier efforts to change the names of prominent geographic features. In 2025, his administration moved to use “Gulf of America” for the body of water commonly known internationally as the Gulf of Mexico.
For now, Lake Ontario remains Lake Ontario in Canada and internationally. Trump’s latest proposal, however, underscores how far relations between Washington and Ottawa have deteriorated as the two countries struggle to resolve their escalating trade dispute.
