Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' After Trump Executive Order

Google Maps has updated its platform to display "Lake America" for U.S. users following President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario, according to multiple reports. The change reflects an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, with Canadian officials rejecting the name change and erecting a large sign affirming the lake's original name.

According to Time, Google announced that the lake will appear as "Lake America" in the U.S., "Lake Ontario" in Canada, and "Lake Ontario (Lake America)" for users in the rest of the world. The company stated that it changed the maps following the formal renaming by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), aligning with its policy to reflect bodies of water with names that vary from country to country.

The name change has sparked significant backlash, particularly in Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a 24-by-12-foot sign overlooking the lake in Winona, Ontario, that reads "Lake Ontario Now and Always" in English and French. As reported by TimesLIVE, Ford stated, "No one's going to call it Lake of America. It's been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It's going to continue being Lake Ontario." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also rejected the renaming, noting that Canadians will continue calling it Lake Ontario.

The dispute comes amid an escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada. As reported by CBS News, Trump signed the executive order directing the Interior Department to adopt "Lake America" as the body of water's name for U.S. federal purposes. The move follows a similar renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" earlier in his term, which also sparked controversy and legal disputes.

Canadian officials have called for Canadians to boycott U.S. travel and products, while Trump revived rhetoric of Canada being the "51st state" of the U.S., claiming that Canada wanted "the benefits of being a State, without being one." The name change has faced significant opposition from Democrats, with Rep. Debbie Dingell (D, Mich.) announcing plans to introduce the "Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act," a bill that would reverse Trump's order renaming the lake.

According to The Guardian, Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard called Trump's move an attempt to erase Indigenous history. "I want to tell him that it is unacceptable for us, as a nation, to have a president who can eradicate our history, our culture and our identity," Picard said.