President Donald Trump is contemplating renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” as trade tensions between the United States and Canada intensify. This consideration comes as the US has imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods over the weekend after trade talks broke down. Canada is expected to announce retaliatory tariffs in response.
Trump stated on social media that the US is seriously considering the name change because it does not anticipate doing much business with Ontario moving forward. He also threatened to implement new 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles, auto parts, and steel, accusing Canada of “ripping off” the United States for years. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that US trade demands aim to “destroy our major industries,” including autos, steel, and aluminum.
This move echoes a previous intention by Trump to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” early in his second term. The current trade dispute escalated from lower tariffs imposed in 2025, shortly after he returned to office. Lake Ontario forms part of the border between the two countries, separating Buffalo, New York, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada’s most populous city and province.
Canadian officials and residents have reacted negatively to the proposed name change. Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismissed it as “rhetoric” and urged both countries to resume negotiations, acknowledging that the dispute has become “a little personal” and is hurting both economies. The lake's name originates from the Huron Indigenous people's word “oniatarí:io,” meaning “lake of shining waters.”
