Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' Following Presidential Order

Google Maps has changed the name of 'Lake Ontario' to 'Lake America' for users in the United States, following an executive order from President Trump, according to a statement from Google. Trump announced the name change on Thursday as part of an ongoing trade dispute with Canada, which has led to reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in goods between the two countries. The president's order affects the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which establishes standards for official US maps, but does not influence Canadian naming conventions or how the lake is referred to globally. Google stated that it updates its maps to reflect name changes from official government sources, meaning that users in the US will see 'Lake America,' while those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario,' and users outside of both countries will see both names. The White House, Carney’s office, and Ford’s office did not provide immediate comments on Google's decision. In a similar instance, Google Maps labeled the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' following an executive order from Trump on his first day in office. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the name change, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that 'New York won’t be calling it that.' Vermont Governor Phil Scott described Trump's decision as 'petty and disappointing' on social media. Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign that reads, 'Lake Ontario: Now and Always,' in both English and French, asserting that 'President Trump can call it whatever he wants, but I can tell you, the rest of the world will always call it Lake Ontario.'