President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the federal government to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America," escalating tensions with Canada as the two countries remain locked in a growing trade dispute.
The order directs the Interior Department and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update the federal Geographic Names Information System and other government references to reflect the new name within 30 days.
The change applies to U.S. government usage. Canada is not required to recognize the new name, and Canadian officials have said they will continue to call the lake Lake Ontario.
Trump signs Lake Ontario renaming order
Trump signed the order Aug. 27 in the Oval Office, comparing the move to his administration's decision last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico
as the Gulf of America.
"If you think about it, we have a gulf and we have a lake, now all we need is an ocean," Trump said during the signing ceremony. "So maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and/or the Pacific."
The order requires federal agencies to use "Lake America" on maps, contracts and other official documents.
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes and forms part of the border between New York and Ontario, Canada. The lake's shoreline includes Toronto, Canada's largest city.
Canada says it will continue using Lake Ontario
Canadian officials have rejected Trump's proposed name change.
"We'll always call it Lake Ontario. Period. We're proud of our Great Lakes," Mélanie Joly, Canada's minister of industry, told reporters.
The renaming comes as the United States and Canada exchange new tariffs following the breakdown of trade negotiations.
Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has responded with tariffs on U.S. exports ranging from 15% to 50%.
What is Lake Ontario's name history?
The name Lake Ontario dates to the 17th century and comes from an Indigenous term meaning "lake of shining waters," according to the Center for Great Lakes Literacy.
The name began appearing on maps made by European explorers in the 1660s.
While the U.S. government can change the name it uses in federal records, the order does not require Canada or international organizations to adopt "Lake America."
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’
