Google Maps renames Lake Ontario to Lake America for U.S. users after Trump order
Story Timeline
3 days · 4 summary articles
Google Maps now displays Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, following an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday renaming the lake. The change aligns with the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, which updated its records to reflect the new name, Google said in a blog post on Saturday .
Canadians accessing Google Maps continue to see the lake labeled as Lake Ontario, the name used for over 400 years, while users outside both countries see both names. Google stated the update follows its policy for bodies of water with names that vary by country .
The move comes amid an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, with both nations imposing tit-for-tat tariffs. Trump’s order does not compel foreign governments or private entities to adopt the new name. Apple Maps has not changed its labeling, still identifying the lake as Lake Ontario for U.S. users .
Ontario Premier Doug Ford criticized the renaming as “absolutely backwards,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded on social media. The U.S. has applied a 25% tariff on non-U.S. content in Canadian-built vehicles since April 2025, with the rate set to double to 50% on Jan. 1, 2027, after trade talks collapsed on Aug. 21 .
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Monday that Trump had spoken directly to Apple about the name change, suggesting the company may soon update its maps. “The president reached out to Apple directly, so I’m sure that we may be seeing that change coming up soon to Lake America,” Burgum told Fox Business .
MapQuest has refused to adopt the new name, stating on X, “We will not change the name of Lake Ontario. Call it what you want if it pleases you.” Some Canadian government websites briefly displayed “Lake America” due to embedded Google Maps data, prompting Ontario’s trade minister to say officials were reviewing how to restore the original name .
Poland’s Commission for the Standardization of Geographical Names Outside the Republic of Poland said it would not recognize the change, with a spokesperson stating that Lake Ontario remains the official Polish name. The commission previously rejected Trump’s 2025 renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “American Gulf” .
Follow us for live European news
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
2 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Трамп переименовал озеро Онтарио в «озеро Америка». Google выполнил указ президента, Apple — нет Сервис Google Maps изменил название озера Онтарио на «озеро Америка» для пользователей из США. В компании заявили, что переименовали озеро в соответствии с обновлениями Информационной системы географических названий США (GNIS), «чтобы отразить изменения названий в официальных правительственных источниках».
meduza · about 1 hour ago
"Jezioro Ameryka" na mapach USA. Polska komisja zajęła stanowisko Prezydent USA Donald Trump zdecydował o zmianie nazwy Jeziora Ontario na Jezioro Ameryka. - Obowiązującą polską nazwą nadal jest Jezioro Ontario - podkreśliła sekretarz Komisji Standaryzacji Nazw Geograficznych poza Granicami RP Justyna Kacprzak.
gazeta.pl · about 1 hour ago
Wegen Google Maps: „Lake America taucht auf kanadischen Regierungswebseiten auf
sueddeutsche · about 1 hour ago
Apple may change Lake Ontario to Lake America soon after talk with Trump, U.S. Interior Secretary says
news.yahoo.com · about 1 hour ago
Lake Ontario or Lake America? Google Maps results differ in Canada, US and across the world What you call Lake Ontario now depends on where you are logging in from. Google Maps has begun showing "Lake America" to US users following US President Donald Trumps executive order, while Canadians still see the name that has stood for more than 400 years.
euronews · about 1 hour ago
Google Maps now show Lake America in US, not Lake Ontario Google Maps has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America for U.S. users to reflect President Donald Trumps executive order renaming the lake, according to a Google statement. Trump announced on Thursday that he was changing the name of the smallest of the five Great Lakes, part of an escalating trade feud with […]
cyprus mail · about 1 hour ago
Google Maps accused of bending knee to Trump by changing name of Lake Ontario to Lake America So basically theyll allow any POTUS exec order to rename stuff, one user wrote. No reason he doesnt just start renaming things after his friends
independent · about 1 hour ago
Lake America? Canada zet enorm bord met Lake Ontario neer bij meer na Trumps naamswijziging
de volkskrant · about 1 hour ago