<p>President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America following the breakdown of trade negotiations with Canada.</p>
<p>The executive order, titled “Honoring the American history of the Great Lakes and renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America,” was signed on Thursday. The order provides legal and philosophical justification for the renaming, referencing one of Trump’s first executive orders from his second term, which aimed to restore names that honor American greatness.</p>
<p>Trump stated that the renaming was justified by a utilitarian argument, claiming that the United States does more than Canada to protect and maintain the Great Lakes. He noted that the U.S. Coast Guard operates nine of the 11 icebreakers in the Great Lakes and mentioned that the U.S. has invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem over the last decade, while Canada has invested less.</p>
<p>The order also describes the lake as a significant asset to the U.S. and highlights its historical importance in trade and industry. Trump instructed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to coordinate with the Board on Geographic Names to implement the name change within 30 days.</p>
<p>Relations between the U.S. and Canada have deteriorated since Trump took office, exacerbated by his administration's trade policies and tariffs. On July 20, Trump signed proclamations imposing 50% tariffs on various Canadian goods, which took effect after negotiations failed to yield a favorable trade deal. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs in response.</p>
<p>Trump has criticized Canada for what he perceives as unfair trade practices, stating, “Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade.”</p>
<p>The name change is only binding for the U.S. government and does not affect foreign governments or private entities. Canada has stated it will continue to recognize the lake as Lake Ontario, emphasizing the historical significance of the name, which originates from the Wendat word Ontari’io, meaning ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big.’</p>
<p>Carney reaffirmed Canada’s position, stating, “Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always.”</p>
<p>While the U.S. federal government is not requiring private companies to change the name, some may choose to do so. Google Maps and Bing Maps are expected to update the name for U.S. users, following previous name changes initiated by the Trump administration.</p>
<p>White House spokesman Steven Cheung criticized media coverage of the name change, claiming it reflects a bias against Trump.</p>