Trump signed the order on Thursday and said the name change would take effect immediately. He added that all necessary documents had been prepared and that relevant authorities had already been notified.
The executive order states that a significant portion of Lake Ontario lies within the United States and argues that the lake plays an important role in the country’s history, trade, settlement and security.
Trump said the name change was not specifically intended as a message to Canada, but again accused the country of failing to protect US interests in trade.
“Canada has been undermining America in trade for a long time,” Trump said.
The move comes as trade relations between the United States and Canada remain strained, with Trump repeatedly pushing for changes to the names of places he considers important to the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the proposed name change, saying the name Ontario has a history that predates both modern countries.
Carney said the name comes from the language of the Wendat Indigenous people, with “Ontari’io” referring to a “beautiful lake” or “great lake.” He noted that the name has been used for more than 400 years.
Carney said Canadians would continue to refer to the body of water as Lake Ontario, arguing that the name carries significant historical and cultural meaning for the country.
Lake Ontario has been known by that name since at least the 17th century. It also gave its name to the Canadian province of Ontario, one of the country’s largest and most populous provinces, home to cities including Toronto and Ottawa.
This is not the first time Trump has sought to rename a geographically significant place. Last year, he signed an order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” Some US authorities adopted the new name, while many other countries continued using the traditional name.
Trump has also suggested that he could consider changing other geographical names, including those associated with the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, if he believes a new name would be appropriate.
However, Canadian legal experts said the US decision does not determine how other countries refer to the lake, arguing that no single country has exclusive authority to impose a geographical name for international use.
