Google has renamed Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for U.S. users on Google Maps to reflect a recent order by President Donald Trump.
The update comes days after Trump’s directive amid a trade war with Canada involving billions of dollars in mutual tariffs. The decision mirrors a 2025 order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Google explained in a blog post Saturday that it uses designations assigned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, also known as GNIS.
U.S. users will see "Lake America," Canadian users will see "Lake Ontario" and users elsewhere will see both.
Trump’s Thursday decision was met with mockery. On Saturday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford placed a billboard on the Canadian shore reading, "Lake Ontario. Now and forever."
The White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office and Ford's office did not comment Sunday.
Mountain View-based Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., runs a leading search engine and digital advertising network.