Trump signs executive order renaming Lake Ontario "American Lake"

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office on Thursday renaming Lake Ontario as "American Lake." According to Trump, the change takes effect immediately.

According to the White House, the order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System so that "the lake formerly known as Lake Ontario shall, as of today, be known as American Lake." Canadian officials have already said in advance that they will not recognize the new name.

Trade dispute and a spat with Ontario's premier

The renaming comes amid worsening relations between Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, fueled by an ongoing trade war between the two countries. On Monday, Ford blasted Trump's trade policies in an interview with the Associated Press, saying former US President Ronald Reagan "would be rolling in his grave" over such an approach to trade.

Ford also threatened to cut electricity and critical raw material exports to the US if Trump continues to escalate the trade dispute. "If he knew what was going on, he'd throw up right on that portrait, and he'd be turning over in his grave," Ford said, referring to a portrait of Reagan. He added that the portrait ought to be taken down altogether, since Reagan would be "furious" at Trump's actions.

Responding to Ford's remarks, Trump said the Ontario premier "talks too much." Writing on his social platform Truth Social, he described Ford as best known for being "the less charismatic, less intelligent, and generally unremarkable brother of the late Rob Ford," the former mayor of Toronto.

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Source: novinky.cz