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Google Maps reflects Trump's rebranding of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'

Confirmed1 source · Aug 30, 2026

President Trump's executive order to rename the Great Lake has been adopted by Google and other major map providers, though implementation remains incomplete and inconsistent.

Google Maps reflects Trump's rebranding of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'
Image via Wired

What happened

Google Maps changed the name of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' late Saturday, following President Trump's executive order issued Thursday. The change reflects an update to the federal Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database, which government maps and private mapping services typically use as their authoritative reference. According to Google's statement, people using Maps 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. Apple Maps and Bing Maps have not yet reflected the change but are expected to. MapQuest has said it would decline to make the change.

Context

Trump's order to rename Lake Ontario is part of a pattern of geographic rebranding tied to trade disputes—he previously issued an order in January 2025 to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in response to disagreements with Mexico. The major map providers' rapid adoption of previous geographic changes (the Gulf of America) demonstrates that private companies generally follow official government naming databases despite not being legally required to do so. The change has generated debate in open-source mapping communities, with some platforms like OpenStreetMap choosing to recognize both US and foreign names and allowing organizations to select which to display. The geographic location a user sees depends on their own location, creating a bifurcated map experience across borders.