Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Sep 1: A majority of Americans oppose President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on imported Canadian goods and his move to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The three-day nationwide poll, which concluded on Sunday, found that Americans remain wary of the escalating dispute with Canada, one of the United States’ longstanding major trading partners. Tensions between the two countries have increased after trade talks broke down and Trump ordered higher tariffs on Canadian goods last week.
Only 20 per cent of respondents supported increasing tariffs on Canadian imports, while 57 per cent opposed the move and 21 per cent said they were unsure. Around one in five respondents said they had not heard about the tariff increase.
The latest findings come as US households continue to face financial pressure from higher gasoline prices. The cost of living has emerged as the top issue influencing voters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, in which Trump's Republican allies will defend narrow majorities in Congress.
Trump's approval rating has also remained near the lowest level of his political career in recent weeks, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.
The dispute with Canada took an unusual turn last week when Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario, one of North America's five Great Lakes, as “Lake America” for US federal usage. The designation does not determine what Canada, international organisations or other entities call the lake.
Trump has repeatedly criticised Canada and has previously threatened to annex the country and make it the 51st US state. At the beginning of his second term in January 2025, he also ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America” for US federal purposes.
The proposed Lake Ontario name change received even less public support than the tariff increase. Only 14 per cent of Americans said they supported changing the lake's name, while 63 per cent opposed the move. The remaining respondents were either unsure or declined to answer.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online across the United States and included 1,023 adults. It has a margin of error of four percentage points.