Google Maps Now Shows ‘Lake America’ Instead of Lake Ontario
Google Maps has renamed Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for users in the United States following an executive order by President Trump. This change reflects a broader trend of rebranding geographic features amid ongoing trade tensions with Canada.
Why it matters
Highlights the intersection of geopolitical policy and the digital infrastructure that shapes public perception of geography.
Lake Ontario is no more on Google Maps in the US. Google changed the name of easternmost of the Great Lakes to “Lake America” late Saturday, days after President Donald Trump ordered its rebranding in official government databases.
Trump issued the executive order on Thursday as part of an ongoing feud over tariffs with Canada, whose capital province is called Ontario. It followed a similar order he issued in January 2025 to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America as part of a fight with the US trading partner to the south.
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