Trump threatens to rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ as Canada-U.S. trade fight escalates

(Horizon Media / TORONTO) — U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” adding another provocative element to the rapidly escalating trade dispute between Canada and the United States.

Trump raised the idea Tuesday morning on Truth Social, saying Washington was giving “serious consideration” to changing the lake’s name because the United States did not expect to continue doing much business with Ontario. Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes and straddles the Canada-U.S. border, with Ontario to the north and New York State to the south.

The comments came after a sharp deterioration in Canada-U.S. trade relations and an increasingly personal exchange between Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Ford said Monday that Trump “can kiss my ass” while responding to new U.S. tariff threats and later characterized the American president as a bully. Trump fired back by attacking Ford personally and comparing him unfavourably with his late brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford.

The broader dispute intensified after Canada-U.S. trade negotiations broke down. Washington has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on hundreds of Canadian products and Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian automobiles, auto parts and steel to 50 per cent beginning in January. Ottawa, meanwhile, has moved toward retaliatory tariffs, with Canadian officials saying measures are necessary to protect industries affected by the U.S. actions.

Federal officials largely dismissed Trump’s latest rhetoric. Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa had made a decision months ago not to respond to the U.S. administration’s daily social-media posts, keeping its focus instead on the economic dispute.

Trump’s proposed name change echoes his 2025 decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” for U.S. federal purposes. His latest suggestion, however, comes against the backdrop of a much more consequential confrontation, as tariffs and threats of retaliation put growing pressure on one of the world’s most integrated bilateral trading relationships.