Trump threatens to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' amid trade spat

Amid a deepening trade conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated rhetoric against Canada by threatening to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Trump announced the consideration on his Truth Social platform, citing a lack of expected business with the Canadian province.

This statement follows sharp criticism from Ontario's Premier Doug Ford, who had previously told Trump to "kiss my ass" in response to new U.S. tariffs. Ford also suggested restricting electricity exports to the U.S. and access to critical raw materials.

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, shares a deeply intertwined economy with the United States. Key exports include automobiles, auto parts, and metals. The province also supplies electricity to U.S. states like New York and Michigan.

The trade dispute intensified after the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs, prompting Trump's threat to further increase duties on Canadian cars, auto parts, and steel by year-end.