Trump says Sundar Pichai talked him out of renaming the Atlantic Ocean
President Trump claimed that Google CEO Sundar Pichai refused his request to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps. Trump expressed a desire to rename major geographic features after American themes, though he noted he would likely abandon the idea for the oceans.
Why it matters
It illustrates the intersection of political rhetoric, corporate influence, and the power of digital mapping platforms to shape public perception of geography.
After renaming Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps following Trump’s executive orders, Google CEO Sundar Pichai might be drawing the line at the Atlantic Ocean. As reported earlier by the Washington Post, Trump said at a Wednesday night rally that he would “probably pass” on renaming the Atlantic after he contacted Pichai about it, to which Pichai allegedly replied, “Please don’t ask us to do that.”
Trump claimed Pichai said, “No, no, no. This time, I’m not doing it,” adding “Oceans are different, sir.” The Verge reached out to Google for comment, but didn’t immediately get a response. Apple has joined Google in making Trump’s name changes on its maps, but some other map apps, like MapQuest, have refused to follow their lead.
Headlinne story · 4 newsrooms
Google Chief Rejected Trump Plan to Rename the Atlantic Ocean
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