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President Trump Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America, Prompting Diverse Responses from Map Providers and Canadian Officials

The administration announced that Lake Ontario will now be referred to as "Lake America" in official U.S. government records and maps. This change was formalized through an executive order signed by President Trump on August 27, directing the Interior Department to implement the name change within 30 days. President Trump argued that the United States has made substantial investments in maintaining the Great Lakes system and plays a dominant role in its protection. While the administration announced the change, Canadian officials have rejected the move. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that the lake will remain Lake Ontario. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney noted that the name predates both countries and has Indigenous roots. Digital map providers have responded differently. Google Maps updated its platform to show "Lake America" for U.S. users, while Apple Maps eventually reflected the change following direct contact from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Conversely, MapQuest refused to keep the Lake Ontario name, leading to a surge in downloads as it became the top-rated navigation app in the U.S. on the Apple App Store.

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