During a period of heightened trade tensions with Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." This proposal echoes a previous instance where he suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."
The remarks follow a breakdown in trade negotiations, with both countries exchanging accusations. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Friday that the U.S. sought "last-minute changes" to the trade deal that were "unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal." Carney further elaborated on Saturday, saying, "In short, they asked too much and they offered too little."
In response, Trump has accused Canada of "Ripping Off' the U.S.A. for decades," characterizing the northern neighbor as "difficult and unreasonable."
The diplomatic friction has continued to escalate. On Monday, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles starting in 2027. He has also referred to Prime Minister Carney as "Governor Carney," a remark that has been interpreted as hinting at past suggestions from Trump about annexing Canada. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance also referred to Canada as a "state" at a political event on Monday, which he later described as a "Freudian slip."