Trump orders Lake Ontario renamed, Kennedy Center battle over Trump’s name, how the Iran war has changed the Mideast

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Welcome back. In the news today: Trump signs an order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in the U.S.; a judge questions the Kennedy Center’s plan to restore Trump’s name; and how the Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped. Also, our gardening expert shares which plants add a burst of color to gardens when summer flowers dry up and fade.

Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in the United States

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake’s name in the U.S. geographic naming service. Trump cannot force Canada to follow along, however. Read more.

Why this matters:

• The president has been floating the idea of the name change in recent days as the U.S. announced it was imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods over the weekend after talks between the countries broke down. Canadian officials dismissed Trump’s move. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the move, invoking the lake’s Indigenous roots and noting that the name predates both the Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Related coverage →

WATCH: Trump signs order

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Judge questions why Kennedy Center is moving so quickly to return Trump’s name to building

During a Thursday hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper asked why the center needed to begin inscribing the president’s name on the institution’s facade as soon as Sept. 8. Read more.

Why this matters:

• President Donald Trump has spent much of his second term reshaping Washington to his liking.The Kennedy Center is a rare stumbling block in that effort after Cooper ruled in May that Trump’s name was added to the building illegally, ordering it to be removed. Trump and his allies, however, have refused to let that be the final word.

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Trump administration starts building border wall project in Arizona over tribe’s objections

White House construction contributed to radio problems that let Trump copter come close to jet

Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says

Judge again blocks Trump mail ballot executive order in ruling that’s likely to be swiftly appealed

ICE officer’s release from Texas jail opens a new front in the escalating fight over extradition

The Kremlin says the CIA director held talks in Moscow with his intelligence counterparts

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Six months on, the Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped

When they attacked Iran on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel hoped to topple its clerical leadership and replace it with a pro-Western government. But the Islamic Republic survived the assassination of its top leaders and weeks of heavy bombing, and found a potent form of leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. Read more.

Why this matters:

• Iran is now determined to exert permanent control over the strait, to use it to ward off future attacks and secure other concessions, while giving no ground on its disputed nuclear program. Meanwhile Gulf Arab nations saw worrying gaps open up in the American security umbrella they have relied on for decades — and some are looking at alternatives. Israel has once again thrashed its enemies without defeating them, and is at risk of a generational rupture with the U.S., its closest ally.

Related coverage →

Trump used to say he saw a quick end to his Iran war. Six months later, he claims he’s in no hurry

More Mideast developments

Republicans face a midterm verdict as Iran war drags on months longer than Trump promised

Exclusive: US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say

US defense review presses NATO allies to prove they are taking the lead in Europe

Stars and Stripes journalists sue Pentagon to challenge their firings

Judge says Pentagon’s measures against Anthropic were ‘illegal and baseless’

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WATCH

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Revive your garden and planters with colorful fall flowers

By late summer, many planters and garden beds are looking a little tired. Our gardening writer Jessica Damiano shares some of her favorite plants for keeping gardens vibrant into the fall, including pansies and Sedum Autumn Joy (the latter you can see in the image above). My favorites are the bright orange chrysanthemums. Read all of Damiano’s tips for refreshing your garden here.

This is our flagship newsletter Morning Wire. You can subscribe here and we’ll email it to you daily.