--- title: Trump Signs 'Lake America' Order as Canadian Lawmaker Calls for Boycott on U.S. Travel description: The move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures amid an all-out trade war between the U.S. and Canada. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-27T18:12:12.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-28T16:07:00.612Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Signs 'Lake America' Order Amid Calls for Canadians to Boycott U.S. Travel og:description: The move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures amid an all-out trade war between the U.S. and Canada. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38cce28736691fb8/6a907c17aa14af411deccda6/GettyImages-2239332758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5710 og:image:height: 3212 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2239332758.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Signs 'Lake America' Order Amid Calls for Canadians to Boycott U.S. Travel twitter:description: The move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures amid an all-out trade war between the U.S. and Canada. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38cce28736691fb8/6a907c17aa14af411deccda6/GettyImages-2239332758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Signs Order to Rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' Amid Calls for Canadians to Boycott U.S. Travel > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=65bdaa02-faca-4782-94b0-b2d2151fab43&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=65bdaa02-faca-4782-94b0-b2d2151fab43&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=65bdaa02-faca-4782-94b0-b2d2151fab43&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' [Watch (HLS stream): Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/N28aNHC4.m3u8) (0:56)  _Published 2026-08-28. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an ‌Executive Order instructing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” ​_ by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) and [Olivia-Anne Cleary](https://time.com/author/olivia-anne-cleary/) Aug 27, 2026 6:12 PM UTC by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) and [Olivia-Anne Cleary](https://time.com/author/olivia-anne-cleary/) Aug 27, 2026 6:12 PM UTC [President Donald Trump ](https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/)on Thursday signed an ‌Executive Order instructing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to rename Lake Ontario as “[Lake America](https://time.com/article/2026/08/25/trump-lake-america-ontario-name-change-canada/).” ​ The change is set to take effect immediately, he said. Trump earlier in the week had floated the idea of a new moniker for the lake, which borders the Canadian ‌province ⁠of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. Trump signed a similar order upon returning to the White House last year, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "[Gulf of America](https://time.com/7208691/trump-day-one-presidential-actions-executive-orders-memorandum-proclamation-explainer/)." This most recent name change is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures amid an all-out trade war between the U.S. and Canada. British Columbia’s Premier David Eby on Tuesday called for residents not to travel to America unless it's absolutely essential. “I’m asking British Columbians: If you have a choice, please don’t travel to the United States. Choose another place to do your tourism,” [Eby said ](https://youtu.be/kVFZKOBUZrM?t=109)at a press briefing. “If you can choose a Canadian product, instead of an American one, please choose it… by being our own best customer, we can help respond and support Canadians in every corner of this amazing country.” While Eby is leading the charge on a travel boycott from the Canadian province, other lawmakers are further clamping down on a boycott of U.S. products. “When you’re at war, you protect your own, you protect your own backyard,” [said](https://x.com/fordnation/status/2092666218280870263) Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday. “You don’t go down to the U.S. and buy a product. There’s nothing that we can’t make here in Ontario, or across the country.” Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne expressed a similar sentiment, [telling](https://x.com/sarobertson%5F/status/2091914677294932327) reporters: “The biggest power we have, each and every one of us, is our purchasing power. We can choose when we go to the grocery store or to the hardware store to buy Canadian.” ### Has Canadian travel to the U.S. declined since Trump returned to office? Prior to Eby’s tourism plea, Canadian travel to the U.S. had shown a jump in visitors after a widely-reported decline. In May, the number of Canadians visiting the U.S. was up by 9.9% compared to the same month a year prior, according to [Statistics Canada](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260723/dq260723b-eng.htm). In [June](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260820/dq260820b-eng.htm), the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States increased 5.0% year over year. The number of Americans visiting Canada was also higher, with a 6.1% rise year over year. However, in the first quarter of 2026, Canadian residents took 5.5 million trips that included an outbound visit to the United States, a year over year [decline](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260825/dq260825a-eng.htm) of 10.6%. Spending while visiting the U.S. by Canadians during this period was also down by 13.6%. Figures for the start of 2026 fall in line with a trend that has seen Canadian travel to the U.S. decline since Trump returned to Office last year. Cell phone data analysis published by the University of Toronto in May [found](https://mappingtariffs.org/canada-us-visits) a 42% year-over-year median decline in Canadian travel to U.S. metropolitan areas. The research also found that “when Canadians travel to the U.S., they are visiting fewer locations and staying for less time than they used to.” Some metro areas such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Panama City, Florida, saw drops in Canadian tourism of at least 60%. In Florida, the decline in visits has persisted with an average decrease of[ just under 14%](https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-tourism-dips-again-canadian-visitors-decline-sharply) across the state during the first six months of 2026. ### How U.S.-Canada talks collapsed into an all-out trade war Relations between the U.S. and Canada have deteriorated further since the collapse of high-stakes trade talks last week resulted in U.S. tariffs of 50% on various Canadian products going into effect on Aug. 22, with no CUSMA exception. In response, Canada has [imposed](https://time.com/article/2026/08/25/canada-retaliates-trumps-tariffs-with-levies/) retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on certain U.S. goods. Trump has [threatened ](https://time.com/article/2026/08/24/-we-don-t-need-canada-trump-escalates-trade-war-with-threat-of-50-auto-tariffs/)to increase automobile tariffs on Canada to 50%, [claiming](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117150758113256193): We don’t need Canada, they need us.” The Trump Administration has also revived its rhetoric of referring to Canada as a “state”—a nod to Trump’s vocal ambition [to annex Canada and make it the 51st state](https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/), an idea he has floated repeatedly since returning to the White House last year. Vice President J.D. Vance during a speech in Brewer, Maine, on Monday [said](https://time.com/article/2026/08/24/vance-canada-state-freudian-slip-us-trade-trump-carney-ford/): “We have to remember, Canada is a state—sorry, Freudian slip.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, has drawn focus to Canada’s burgeoning trade relations with other countries. “Over the last year alone, Canada has signed more than 20 trade and security deals across five continents,” [he said ](https://x.com/MarkJCarney/status/2092725429433966897)Wednesday. “Canada is now the best connected economy in the world,” he claimed, pointing towards trade alliances with countries in South Asia and Europe. Carney in January met with China’s President Xi Jinping to forge what he called a “[new strategic partnership](https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/01/16/prime-minister-carney-forges-new-strategic-partnership-peoples)” to end Canada's economic reliance on the American market. While meeting with Canada’s second-largest export market, Carney agreed to cut his country’s 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, including canola seeds, a major Canadian export. ## Transcript We're going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario, effective immediately to Lake America. And we filed all the necessary papers, documents, everything else. We've notified all of the various people that we have to notify. So we've done everything that you have to do. And this is official, effective immediately. What message are you sending to Canada with this move today, and why was this such an important thing? Well. It's an interesting question. No message. As you know, Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade. As you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico. We changed it. And now it's very routinely the Gulf of America. So if you think about it, we have a gulf and we have a lake. Now all we need is an ocean. So maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we'll change them both. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/"},"headline":"Trump Signs Order to Rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' Amid Calls for Canadians to Boycott U.S. Travel","datePublished":"2026-08-27T18:12:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-28T16:07:00.612Z","description":"The move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures amid an all-out trade war between the U.S. and Canada.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/","keywords":["Canada","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38cce28736691fb8/6a907c17aa14af411deccda6/GettyImages-2239332758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Callum Sutherland","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Olivia-Anne Cleary","jobTitle":"Cleary is an editor at TIME, based in the London bureau.","url":"https://time.com/author/olivia-anne-cleary/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38cce28736691fb8/6a907c17aa14af411deccda6/GettyImages-2239332758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2239332758.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Jim Watson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/canada/","name":"Canada"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/","name":"Trump Signs Order to Rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' Amid Calls for Canadians to Boycott U.S. Travel"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America'","description":"President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an ‌Executive Order instructing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” ​","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/N28aNHC4/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2026-08-28T15:50:43.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/N28aNHC4.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/","duration":"PT56S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/27/trump-lake-ontario-america-order-canadians-boycott-us-travel-trade-war/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```