Google Maps Reflects Trump's 'Lake America' Name Change for US Users
Google Maps has updated its US version to reflect President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'. The change is based on the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which sets standards for official US maps. However, this decision has been met with rejection in Canada and by some US leaders.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he was changing the name of the smallest of the five Great Lakes as part of an escalating trade feud with Canada. This move prompted reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in goods between the two countries.
The White House, along with offices from Carney and Ford, did not immediately comment on Google's decision to reflect the name change in its US maps. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately rejected the lake's name change, calling it 'Now and Always' a sign of Ontario's dedication to its original name.
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul of New York declared that 'New York won't be calling it that,' while Phil Scott, the Republican governor of neighboring Vermont, called Trump's decision 'petty and disappointing' on social media. Premier Doug Ford unveiled a large lakeside sign that reads, 'Lake Ontario: Now and Always', in both English and French.
Google stated that since they update their maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, users in the US will see 'Lake America,' those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario,' and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names. This change follows a similar decision last year when Google labeled the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' after Trump's executive order.