Trump Asks Apple to Rename Lake Ontario to Lake America

Following an executive order directing the US government to rename Lake Ontario, President Donald Trump has personally reached out to Apple to request that the tech company adopt the name "Lake America" on its digital maps platform.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed the direct communication during an appearance on Fox Business's *Mornings with Maria*, saying: "The president reached out to Apple directly, so I'm sure that we may be seeing that change coming up soon to Lake America."

The executive decree affects the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which establishes map naming standards for official government databases within the United States. It does not carry legal force over Canadian naming conventions or international bodies. The unilateral name change comes amid an escalating trade dispute between the US and Canada that has seen both nations levy reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in commercial goods following collapsed negotiations.

The move mirrors a similar executive order signed last year targeting the Gulf of Mexico, which the administration sought to call the "Gulf of America."

Major digital mapping services are handling the executive order differently based on user region:

• Google Maps: Google has already updated its service for US-based users to display "Lake America." Canadian users continue to see "Lake Ontario," while international users outside both nations see "Lake Ontario (Lake America)."
• Apple Maps: Apple has been asked directly by the White House to update its service, though the company has not yet confirmed when or if the change will take effect.
• MapQuest: The American mapping provider flatly refused the directive, stating "we're not changing it" on social media. The platform subsequently launched a custom tool allowing users to label the body of water with any name they choose, driving the platform to the top of Apple's free app downloads in Canada.

The automatic reliance on third-party mapping data briefly caused confusion for several Canadian organizations. Electrical utilities Hydro One and Hydro Ottawa, alongside the Liquor Board of Ontario, temporarily displayed the name "Lake America" on their digital maps before issuing corrections. 

In a statement on X, Toronto-based Hydro One said:

"We are working with our vendor to correct the issue as quickly as possible and restore the proper geographic reference. We regret the error and apologise for any confusion it has caused."

The executive order has sparked sharp pushback from Canadian leaders, who pointed out that the name Lake Ontario, which is derived from Indigenous languages, has been in continuous use for centuries, predating both the United States and modern Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the diplomatic dispute on X, saying: "We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms. Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a prominent lakeshore sign reading "Lake Ontario Now and Always" in both English and French. Speaking to American television host George Stephanopoulos, Ford stated: "No one's going to call it Lake of America. It's been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It's going to continue being Lake Ontario."

The ongoing feud has also drawn lighthearted commentary in popular culture. During a televised sports broadcast in nearby Buffalo, New York, NFL commentator Al Michaels joked to viewers:

"That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie. … We’re not quite sure at this point. But we’ll be by Lake ‘Something Like Ontario’ or whatever it’s going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo. Anyway, you know what I’m talking about. … Read the news."