President Donald Trump has reportedly requested Apple to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its maps, causing controversy among Canadians amid trade tensions. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum mentioned in an interview with Fox Business that Trump had directly contacted Apple regarding the renaming request. It is anticipated that the change to “Lake America” might be implemented soon.
The renaming initiative stemmed from an executive order signed by Trump to change Lake Ontario’s name to “Lake America” following the recent breakdown of Canada-U.S. trade negotiations and the imposition of significant tariffs by the United States. In response, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs set to take effect in the coming week. Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly opposed the name alteration, asserting in a social media post that Lake Ontario, situated between Ontario and New York state and one of the Great Lakes, would remain known as Lake Ontario “now and always.”
Google clarified that Google Maps users in the United States would see “Lake America” instead of Lake Ontario due to updates in official government sources. While Canadian users would continue to see Lake Ontario on Google Maps, some Ontario and Canadian websites inadvertently displayed “Lake America.” Subsequently, these websites rectified the error and reverted to showing Lake Ontario.
Apple has not responded to inquiries regarding whether Trump requested the lake’s renaming on Apple Maps and if the company intends to make the change. As of the latest check on Monday, Apple Maps in Canada still referred to the body of water as Lake Ontario. Trump had previously issued a similar order in 2025 renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, affecting U.S. federal documents and geographic services, with some online platforms adopting the name “Gulf of America.”
Overall, the renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” has sparked discussions and reactions in both the U.S. and Canada, highlighting the complexities of international relations and diplomatic interactions.