U.S. President Donald Trump has once again taken aim at Canada as the trade war between the two countries intensifies. Trump said the United States is seriously considering renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” He justified the idea by saying the U.S. does not expect to do much business with Ontario anymore.
The latest remarks come amid escalating trade tensions between the two neighboring countries. After trade talks broke down, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on hundreds of American products.
Trump has also criticized Ontario Premier Doug Ford, accusing him of opposing the trade deal proposed by Washington. He warned that Canada could face even harsher consequences if its leaders fail to “fall in line.”
Trump’s latest move is reminiscent of his earlier push to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes and lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and New York State. Its name predates both the United States and Canada and is believed to come from an Indigenous term meaning either “beautiful water” or “great lake.”
Trump’s proposal to rename the historic lake has now triggered fresh debate amid the growing U.S.-Canada trade dispute.
