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Lake Ontario now called Lake America on Google Maps for U.S. users after Trump ordered name change
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- Google Maps has updated its app to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for users in the United States, following a recent order by President Donald Trump to change the lake's name amid escalating trade tensions with Canada.
- The renaming mirrors a previous 2025 change when Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the Gulf of America, with Google adhering to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) for naming conventions.
- Users in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario," while those outside the U.S. and Canada will see both names, reflecting Google's policy on bodies of water with varying names across countries.
- Trump's renaming order was met with ridicule and indifference in both countries, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford responding by installing a large "Lake Ontario. Now and forever." sign on the Canadian shore.
- Neither the White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office, nor Ford’s office had immediate comments on Google's decision as of Sunday.
