President Trump revealed he asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps, a request Pichai declined. Trump disclosed the conversation during a rally in Clemson, South Carolina, where he noted having previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” He stated he “seriously looked at” renaming the Atlantic, seeking Pichai’s assistance, but the Google CEO responded that renaming oceans was impractical due to their international scope. Pichai reportedly told Trump that oceans “cover really a lot of countries” and requested he not ask Google to undertake such a task. Trump indicated he would likely abandon the effort. Google Maps currently displays both the original and Trump-designated names for the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, with the original names in parentheses in search results. Representatives for Google did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s request follows a pattern of attempts to brand geographic locations with “America,” expressing a preference for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans over others. He had previously ordered Lake Ontario be renamed “Lake America” in August, amid a trade dispute with Canada.
Our reading is that this incident demonstrates a continuing pattern of behavior from President Trump, focused on branding geographic locations with “America” as a form of symbolic assertion. The request to Google, while ultimately declined, highlights a willingness to pursue these renamings even when impractical, and suggests a prioritization of symbolic gestures over substantive policy. The fact that Google already displays the altered names for other locations indicates a degree of accommodation to these requests, even if they are not formally adopted internationally.
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