Apple and Google Maps rename Lake Ontario to Lake America for US users

Lake America Lake Ontario Apple Maps Google Maps US-Canada trade war

Apple Maps and Google Maps have updated their services to display Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ for users in the United States. This change follows an executive order from President Donald Trump, which directed the U.S. Department of the Interior to update the name in federal geographic databases. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed that the President contacted Apple directly regarding the request.

The mapping updates are being implemented differently based on location: U.S. users see ‘Lake America’, Canadian users continue to see ‘Lake Ontario’, and users in other countries see both names. This follows a similar precedent from January 2025 when the Gulf of Mexico was renamed the ‘Gulf of America’ on U.S. maps.

The renaming occurs amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada, following the collapse of trade talks and the imposition of 50% tariffs by the U.S. on $20 billion of Canadian goods. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have rejected the name change, citing the lake's Indigenous Wendat roots and historical significance. While major tech companies have complied, MapQuest has refused to change the name, a move that led to a surge in its App Store downloads.

Entities

Apple · Donald Trump · Doug Burgum · Google · Lake Ontario · MapQuest · Mark Carney

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 22 SOURCES] Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that President Trump contacted Apple directly to request the map update. www.letemsvetemapplem.eu · kioncentralcoast.com · offthepress.com · world-today-journal.com · www.baocalitoday.com · +14 more
[● 39 SOURCES] President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'. internewscast.com · www.letemsvetemapplem.eu · oswegocountytoday.com · kioncentralcoast.com · localnews8.com · +29 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the move, emphasizing the lake's Indigenous roots and historical name. oswegocountytoday.com · www.digitalnewsreport.com · offthepress.com · www.flash.gr · www.connectedtoindia.com · +5 more
[● 21 SOURCES] Google Maps updated the name to reflect official U.S. government sources, showing 'Lake America' in the U.S. and 'Lake Ontario' in Canada. www.letemsvetemapplem.eu · kioncentralcoast.com · offthepress.com · world-today-journal.com · www.baocalitoday.com · +12 more
[● 27 SOURCES] The renaming follows a period of trade tensions and proposed tariffs between the United States and Canada. internewscast.com · www.letemsvetemapplem.eu · kioncentralcoast.com · www.digitalnewsreport.com · www.vol.at · +18 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The executive order renaming the lake is part of a broader effort to honor American greatness and reflects the U.S. role in maintaining the Great Lakes. internewscast.com · www.formosadeportiva.com.ar
[● 32 SOURCES] Apple Maps has updated its service to show 'Lake America' for users in the United States. www.letemsvetemapplem.eu · kioncentralcoast.com · offthepress.com · world-today-journal.com · ca.news.yahoo.com · +24 more
[● 16 SOURCES] MapQuest refused to change the name of Lake Ontario, leading to its rise to the number one spot on the U.S. Apple App Store. kioncentralcoast.com · localnews8.com · www.cnn.co.jp · m.eprice.com.tw · www.digitalnewsreport.com · +8 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The renaming follows a trade dispute where the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. ca.news.yahoo.com · mediaindonesia.com · sprakforsvaret.bloggplatsen.se · www.connectedtoindia.com · kahawatungu.com · +3 more
[● 4 SOURCES] A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows 63% of Americans oppose the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America, while 14% support it. eldiariony.com · www.alternet.org · www.mandatory.com · www.digitalnewsreport.com