Former President Donald Trump has suggested renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America" as a retaliatory measure in an intensifying trade dispute with Canada.
Trump made the statement on social media Tuesday, citing a perceived lack of future business dealings with the province of Ontario. "The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer," Trump wrote.
This is not the first time Trump has proposed renaming a major body of water. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a move he frequently referenced during his presidency.
The former president's musing about Lake Ontario, which borders New York, comes amidst a significant tariff battle between the United States and Canada. Last week, trade talks between the two nations reportedly collapsed.
In response to the breakdown, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on various Canadian goods, including beer, cheese, and electronics. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that retaliation is forthcoming. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, known for his firm stance on trade, has also threatened economic repercussions for the U.S., stating that "everything is on the table," including potentially cutting off electricity and critical minerals supplied by Ontario.
"We power 1.5 million homes and businesses," Ford told the Associated Press. "Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes."
One of the stated reasons for the failed trade talks, according to Carney, involved purported U.S. demands that Canada adopt English as its sole official language, replacing French in Quebec. Trump denied this on Monday via social media, calling the claim a "lie" fabricated by a "weak and ineffective Prime Minister" attempting to garner political support. He added, "I love French Canadians!"