Watch: 'He's losing it' - Americans react to Lake Ontario name change

August 29, 2026

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order attempting to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a move that follows the breakdown of trade negotiations between the United States and Canada. The renaming effort comes in the context of escalating trade tensions, with the US imposing substantial 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. In response to these American tariffs, Canada has announced plans to implement equivalent retaliatory tariffs on a dollar-for-dollar basis starting next month.

Who is affected

President Donald Trump
Americans (interviewed by BBC for their reactions)
Canadians (indirectly affected by the name change and directly by tariffs)
The United States government
The Canadian government
Businesses involved in US-Canada trade ($20 billion worth of Canadian goods affected)

What action is being taken

President Trump is signing an executive order to change Lake Ontario's name to Lake America
The US is imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods
Canada is implementing "dollar for dollar" counter-tariffs
The BBC is interviewing Americans about the name change

Why it matters

This matters because it represents a significant escalation in US-Canada relations and trade disputes between two historically close allies. The combination of the symbolic name change and substantial tariffs signals deteriorating diplomatic and economic ties that could impact bilateral trade, business relationships, and cross-border cooperation. The 50% tariff rate is particularly severe and will likely affect consumers and businesses in both countries through higher prices and economic disruption.

What's next

Canada will implement "dollar for dollar" counter-tariffs next month.

Read full article from source: BBC