The president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario, which will now be called "Lake America," according to a post on the White House's social media. This decision comes at a time of growing tension between the United States and Canada, in the context of a trade war initiated by Trump.
This is not the first time Trump has changed the designation of bodies of water. Recently, the president had already ordered the change of the name of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America," a decision that generated international controversy, particularly in Mexico.
The measure regarding Lake Ontario is part of a series of protectionist actions by Trump against Canada, which include the imposition of high customs tariffs on Canadian products. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded with counter-measures on American goods.
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, bordering the United States and Canada. This renaming, although largely symbolic, reflects the Trump administration's intention to assert American sovereignty over border water resources.
