Apple Follows Google in Renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' Amid Trump Trade War

Apple's Maps app has joined Google in renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for US users, following an executive order from President Donald Trump. The change was made on Wednesday morning, with Apple Maps displaying 'Lake America' for US users viewing the lake that sits between New York and Canada's Ontario province.

Users outside of the US still see the original name, 'Lake Ontario', which is also reflected on Google Maps. This move comes after Trump ordered a new name for the body of water amid his escalating trade war with Canada.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed that Trump had reached out to Apple directly about the change, but the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Google explained its decision by citing Trump's order and its long-standing policy of using names assigned by the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The company stated that people using Maps in the US will see 'Lake America', while those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario', and those outside of both countries will see both names.

The move has been met with resistance from Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. They argue that the name Lake Ontario comes from the Huron Indigenous people's word 'oniatarí:io', which means 'lake of shining waters.'