Canada Announces Retaliatory Tariffs; Trump Proposes ‘Lake America’

Canada is retaliating against the United States with new tariffs and President Donald Trump is floating changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” in the latest salvos in the weekslong trade dispute between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to [be] doing much business with Ontario any longer,” Trump said on social media Tuesday morning.

Hours later Canada retaliated against new U.S.-imposed tariffs, announcing it will impose a set of tariffs on over 700 American goods and doubling its duties on U.S. Steel and aluminum matching the U.S. rates on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Lake Ontario is currently split down the middle, with the northern half in Canada and the southern half in New York. Canada likely would not recognize the name change. Like the Gulf of America, formerly the Gulf of Mexico, this would likely be a name change rather than a change in authority over the lake.

Trump has touted “America First” trade efforts since he took office. The White House says Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods to “hold Canada accountable” as it continues its “discriminatory treatment” of American goods sold in Canada, including cars, alcohol, and dairy products, according to a fact sheet published by the White House in July.

“Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,” Trump wrote Monday, citing a $60 billion deficit between the two countries. “Canada will be treated like a State no longer!” Trump added.

Trump continued, announcing that a 50% tariff on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods, including automobiles, auto parts, trucks, and steel, will take effect Jan. 1, 2027. He has told Canada to “fall in line” or face consequences “far worse.”

Carney claims Trump is attempting to “destroy” Canada’s “major industries,” as he announced tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on over 700 American goods attempting to match U.S. tariffs. Both countries claim they are protecting their own manufacturing.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party, pledged that Canada will “fight with everything we have,” calling Trump a “loser” and a “dictator.”

The Sept. 8 start date on the most recently announced Canadian imposed tariffs gives the countries time to come to the negotiating table, which Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent say they welcome. However, Carney says he will only come if the Americans have the “right attitude.” America taking Canada is not an option.

“An attitude at the negotiating table that Canada is going to be a subsidiary of the United States … that’s not something we’re going to accept,” he said.