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Google updates maps to show "Lake America" in U.S. after Trump order
Confirmed
Google Maps has begun displaying "Lake America" in place of Lake Ontario for users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the body of water renamed. "Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S. , people using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names," Google said.
As the company noted, only Google Maps users in the U.S. will see Lake America, while Canadians will continue to see Lake Ontario. TRUMP SAYS 50% TARIFFS ON CANADIAN VEHICLE, STEEL IMPORTS TO HIT JAN 1 "Making the Great Lakes Even Greater" signage during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 27, 2026. (Al Drago/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via ) The update comes days after Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America in the United States.
Google said the change began rolling out Saturday after the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) formally updated the lake’s name from Lake Ontario to Lake America. The update came two days after Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to use the new name for the lake in official documents and records.
In a Saturday blog post , Google explained that U.S. users would see “Lake America” displayed over the Great Lake, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border. It was like something out of Saturday Night Live when [Trump] signed a document saying ‘change to Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake America.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said of the Lake America executive order on Saturday, “I just don’t see the purpose. CANADA PLANS TARIFF RETALIATION AFTER TRUMP WARNS ITS LEADERS TO 'FALL IN LINE' US President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 27, 2026. (Al Drago/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via ) "These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now," the company added.
He noted that Apple Maps still identifies the body of water as Lake Ontario. The change comes after Mr. Trump also changed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" earlier in his term, which was likewise applied to federal references, while other nations aren't required to recognize the name.
The president signed an executive order last week to rename the lake, which sits between Canada's most populous province, Ontario, and New York state. However, in a statement , Google explained that the change was augmented by the government body that oversees the naming of places.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said after the president signed the executive order last week, "New York won't be calling it that.
What's confirmed
- "Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S. , people using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake…
- CANADA PLANS TARIFF RETALIATION AFTER TRUMP WARNS ITS LEADERS TO 'FALL IN LINE' US President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 27, 2026.…
- Google Maps has begun displaying "Lake America" in place of Lake Ontario for users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the body of water renamed.
- Google said the change began rolling out Saturday after the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) formally updated the lake’s name from Lake Ontario to Lake America.
- TRUMP SAYS 50% TARIFFS ON CANADIAN VEHICLE, STEEL IMPORTS TO HIT JAN 1 "Making the Great Lakes Even Greater" signage during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug.…
- The update came two days after Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to use the new name for the lake in official documents and records.
- He noted that Apple Maps still identifies the body of water as Lake Ontario.
- As the company noted, only Google Maps users in the U.S. will see Lake America, while Canadians will continue to see Lake Ontario.
What's still developing
- The president signed an executive order last week to rename the lake, which sits between Canada's most populous province, Ontario, and New York state.
- The change comes after Mr. Trump also changed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" earlier in his term, which was likewise applied to federal references, while other nations aren't required to recognize the name.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said after the president signed the executive order last week, "New York won't be calling it that.
- In a Saturday blog post , Google explained that U.S. users would see “Lake America” displayed over the Great Lake, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border.
- However, in a statement , Google explained that the change was augmented by the government body that oversees the naming of places.
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford said of the Lake America executive order on Saturday, “I just don’t see the purpose.
- It was like something out of Saturday Night Live when [Trump] signed a document saying ‘change to Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake America.