Apple has updated its Apple Maps to show Lake Ontario as Lake America in accordance with a directive from U.S. President Donald Trump. The adjustment, made on Tuesday, mirrors a similar change by Alphabet on Google Maps over the weekend for U.S. users. The modification aligns with the update in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum revealed that Trump personally communicated with Apple to initiate the renaming.
While American users will now see “Lake America” on Apple Maps, Canadian users will still see Lake Ontario. International users will be presented with both names, following a precedent set by Apple when the Gulf of Mexico was renamed to the Gulf of America.
Google’s alteration sparked confusion in Canada over the weekend, with some entities briefly adopting the Lake America name on their platforms. The shift highlights the involvement of U.S. tech companies in geopolitical matters as they navigate compliance with contentious executive orders.
Trump’s executive order pertains only to U.S. federal references to Lake Ontario, leaving Canada and other international bodies unaffected by the name change. A recent poll by Reuters/Ipsos indicates that a majority of Americans oppose Trump’s recent trade and naming decisions. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New York Governor Kathy Hochul swiftly declared their intent to retain the traditional name, which has endured for over 400 years.
Lake Ontario straddles both Canada and New York, with approximately 52% of its surface area falling within Canadian territory. Trump’s renaming spree also extended to the Gulf of Mexico earlier in 2025, prompting adjustments by Google and Apple for U.S. map users.
Historian Tim Naftali suggested that Trump’s renaming actions are aimed at stoking nationalist sentiments in the U.S. and provoking Canada. Canadian officials have dismissed Trump’s previous suggestions of Canada joining the U.S. as the 51st state as implausible.
