Google Maps now displays “Lake America” instead of “Lake Ontario” for users in the United States, following a Thursday executive order from President Trump renaming the body of water amid an ongoing trade war with Canada. The order, titled “Honoring the American history of the Great Lakes and renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America,” directs the Interior Secretary to take action to rename the lake, citing the U.S.’s investment in and security of the Great Lakes. Google stated it reflects name changes from official government sources, displaying “Lake Ontario (Lake America)” for users outside the U.S. and Canada, while Canadian users still see “Lake Ontario.”
Trump signed the order after trade negotiations with Canada collapsed on August 21, following the implementation of 50% tariffs. He has repeatedly claimed Canada has “been ripping us off for a very long time on trade,” and referenced U.S. military support as justification for the renaming. The Washington Examiner reported the U.S. has invested nearly $4 billion in protecting the Great Lakes freshwater ecosystem in the last decade, while Canada has invested less. Ontario Premier Doug Ford called Trump’s renaming project “something out of Saturday Night Live,” stating Canadians will continue to call the lake “Lake Ontario.”
This follows a similar pattern from last year when Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, prompting Google to display “Gulf of America” in the U.S., “Gulf of Mexico” in Mexico, and “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)” elsewhere. Mother Jones noted Google has previously aligned with Trump administration initiatives, including eliminating DEI hiring goals and receiving a $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration fund alongside other tech companies. Trump also posted AI-generated videos on Truth Social celebrating the renaming, including one depicting him replacing a “Lake Ontario” sign with a “Lake America” sign and another showing ducks with his haircut firing assault rifles.
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