Trump's Maps Makeover: Lake Ontario Becomes 'Lake America' Amid Trade Tensions
Google has updated its maps to reflect President Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' amid a trade dispute between the US and Canada. The change is part of a long-standing policy by Google to display varying names for bodies of water across different countries. In the US, users will see 'Lake America', while in Canada, they will see 'Lake Ontario'. Worldwide, both names will be displayed on maps, with 'Lake America' appearing in parentheses.
The move comes after President Trump signed an executive order last week to update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which standardizes geographic names for federal use. The change was formalized under the GNIS, and Google cited official government sources as justification for updating its maps. This is not the first time President Trump has attempted to rename a body of water; earlier in his term, he changed the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America'.
Not everyone is pleased with the name change. New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that her state would continue to refer to the lake as Lake Ontario, not 'Lake America'. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung celebrated the change on social media, tweeting that it's 'official! LAKE AMERICA on Google Maps.'