Google Renames Lake Ontario 'Lake America' in Response to Trump Order
Google has updated its Maps application to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' for users in the United States. This change reflects an order by President Donald Trump to alter the lake's name amid an escalating trade war with Canada.
The move echoes a similar decision made by Google in 2025, when Trump ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
According to Google, the update is based on its policy of using names assigned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). This means that people in the US will see 'Lake America', while those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario'. Users outside the US and Canada will see both names.
The decision has been met with indifference, particularly in Canada, where Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to Trump's order with a billboard-sized message on the Canadian shore: 'Lake Ontario. Now and forever.'