Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario 'Lake America' for US Users Amid Trade Dispute

Google Maps has temporarily changed the name of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for users in the United States, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The change was made on Saturday, two days after the president's order. According to Google, the company follows official U.S. place names in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which led to the renaming.

The move is part of a trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, with tariffs imposed on both sides. The executive order does not bind Canada or other countries. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Board on Geographic Names to update the federal database, as reported by Forbes.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford compared the renaming to a Saturday Night Live sketch and emphasized that the lake will still be called Lake Ontario. Prime Minister Mark Carney noted that the name 'Lake Ontario' has been used for over 400 years and comes from a Wendat word meaning a beautiful, big lake.

Critics accused Google of 'bending the knee' to Trump, while MapQuest announced it would not change the name. Apple Maps and Bing have yet to switch names as of Sunday. The Seneca Nation in New York called on Trump to rescind the order, citing the historic name's significance for Indigenous people on both sides of the border.