Donald Trump has taken his Lake America campaign to Apple, putting the tech giant in the spotlight after Google already changed how the Great Lake appears for American users. The latest push shows the renaming effort moving beyond government databases and into the everyday digital maps millions of people use to find their way around.
Donald Trump contacted the tech company directly about changing Lake Ontario’s name on Maps
The White House’s push now involves Apple Maps after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed Monday that Trump had personally contacted the company. Speaking on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, Burgum said the president “has reached out to Apple directly” and suggested users could see an update soon. Apple had not publicly commented on the request (via BBC).
Google has already adjusted its American map results following Trump’s executive order. People in the U.S. see “Lake America,” while Canadian users retain “Lake Ontario.” Elsewhere, Google displays both names. The company said it follows official U.S. geographic records, pointing to the Geographic Names Information System, or GNIS, as the reason behind its update.
The change has produced some awkward moments in Canada. Toronto-based Hydro One discovered that a third-party mapping provider had displayed “Lake America” and apologized on X. The utility said it was in contact with its vendor to restore the established geographic reference. Hydro Ottawa and the Liquor Board of Ontario also briefly showed the disputed name.
Trump signed the renaming order Thursday after trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa broke down. He directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to handle the federal paperwork and update government geographic records to reflect the new designation.
Across the border, however, the idea has received a very different reception. Ontario Premier Doug Ford pushed back with a bilingual sign along the lake reading “Lake Ontario Now and Always.” During an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Ford made Canada’s position clear, saying people there would not start calling the waterway “Lake America.”
