U.S. President Donald Trump has directed Apple to change the name of Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’ on its mapping platform. According to the U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Trump has ‘directly approached Apple,’ expressing confidence that the name change will be visible on Apple platforms soon; As of September 1, Apple Maps continued to display ‘Lake Ontario’ for users, while Google Maps had already transitioned to ‘Lake America’ for U.S. users.

Executive Order and Geopolitical Tensions

Trump issued the executive order on August 27, renaming the lake amid ongoing trade tensions with Canada. The lake, located between New York and Ontario, is one of the five Great Lakes shared by the U.S. and Canada. The move appears to be part of a broader strategy to assert U.S. influence in the region. According to Burgum, the administration is confident that the name change will be implemented soon.

Google Maps changed the name to ‘Lake America’ for U.S. users on August 29, aligning with its policy to follow official government sources. The company explained in a blog post that users in the U.S. will see the new name, while those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario.’ Outside of both countries, both names appear. Apple has not yet responded to inquiries about its decision, but it previously followed a similar policy when renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ in early 2025.

Regional and International Differences

The name change is being applied regionally. In the U.S., Apple users will see ‘Lake America,’ while Canadian users will still see ‘Lake Ontario.’ German users of Apple Maps will see ‘Ontariosee,’ and similar regional distinctions apply for Google Maps as well. This approach reflects the companies’ efforts to comply with local government naming conventions while avoiding diplomatic friction.

The lake is one of the five Great Lakes shared between the U.S. and Canada. Trump has used symbolic renaming as a tool during his second term, particularly in response to Canadian intransigence in trade disputes. According to reports, the change is not expected to affect international users, who will continue to see both names, ensuring broader geographical accuracy and reducing potential controversy.

Industry and Political Reactions

MapQuest, another mapping service, has also maintained the name ‘Lake Ontario,’ even offering a feature for users to suggest alternative names. This contrasts with the more rapid implementation by Google. Apple has not yet responded publicly to the issue, but its history of slower response times to similar naming changes—such as the renaming of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley,suggests a cautious approach.

While Google has already updated its platform, the U.S. government is pressing for similar changes from Apple. The administration’s emphasis on the name change highlights the symbolic nature of the issue, with the lake’s new name intended to reflect U.S. national identity and assertiveness in trade negotiations with Canada.