Canada rejects Trump's threat to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America'; 'we will be strategic and respond,' says minister

Canada has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to rename the shared Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' viewing it as an escalation of their ongoing trade and political conflict. Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly declared that the lake will always be called Lake Ontario.

"We are proud of our Great Lakes. We have navigated them for thousands of years. They are part of the foundation of our country, and we will defend what we have," Joly stated during a press conference where the Canadian government announced retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. She added, "And while all these maneuvers are happening, we will act intelligently, we will be strategic, and we will respond."

Trump issued the threat via social media, a day after engaging in a war of words with the premier of the Canadian province of Ontario, Doug Ford. Ford, whose province is significantly impacted by Trump's tariff policies, had controversially stated that the U.S. president could kiss his "ass." Trump retaliated by calling the Canadian politician a "lackey" of Prime Minister Mark Carney and the less impressive brother of the late Toronto mayor, Rob Ford.

Doug Ford, leader of Ontario's Conservative Party, responded by labeling Trump a "dictator," "tyrant," "king of bankruptcies," and a "loser."

Lake Ontario, the smallest of the North American Great Lakes, borders Ontario province and New York state, forming part of the Canada-U.S. border. Its name originates from an Iroquoian language, with the Ontario government linking it to the word "kanadario," meaning "shining water." Indigenous sources suggest other interpretations, such as "onitatario," translating to "beautiful lake."