An executive order, meaning a formal presidential directive that instructs federal agencies without requiring a vote in Congress, is now aimed at the name of a border lake. President Donald Trump signed the order, saying it would "immediately" change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America." The move comes as his trade dispute with Canada continues.
In plain terms, an executive order tells agencies of the U.S. federal government what to do. What was signed here is a directive for those agencies to adopt the new name. Lake Ontario runs along the border between the United States and Canada, making the renaming a visible gesture at a moment when the two countries are locked in a trade war.
The word Trump used for when the change would take hold was "immediately."