President Trump has personally reached out to Apple, requesting that the tech giant change the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its Maps application for users in the United States. The request was confirmed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum during an interview on Fox’s “Mornings with Maria.” Burgum said Trump was confident the new label would appear on Apple’s platform soon.
Executive order triggers name change
Last Friday, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the official U.S. geographic naming service for the body of water that separates New York State from Canada’s Ontario province. The order calls for the lake’s name to be listed as “Lake America” in federal databases, a move that aligns with the administration’s broader effort to assert American identity in cross‑border matters.
Apple has not yet responded to inquiries about when or if the change will be implemented. However, the administration’s push appears to be gaining traction elsewhere. Over the weekend, Google Maps announced that U.S. users would see the “Lake America” label, while Canadian users would continue to see “Lake Ontario.” International users would see both names displayed.
Trade tensions provide context
The name change comes amid an escalating trade dispute between the United States and Canada. Both nations have recently raised tariffs on a range of goods, and the administration has framed the renaming as a symbolic assertion of American sovereignty. While the president cannot compel Canada to adopt the new name, the move has drawn sharp criticism from Canadian officials and Indigenous leaders.
The Seneca Nation’s leader in upstate New York warned that the renaming violates a 225‑year‑old treaty and disrespects the Indigenous peoples who originally named the lake. Canadian media outlets have similarly dismissed the effort as a political stunt.
Precedent for renaming U.S. water bodies
This is not the first time President Trump has sought to rename a major body of water that spans international borders. In 2025, he ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America,” a change that was later reflected on both Apple and Google maps for U.S. users. Those earlier actions were presented by the administration as part of a broader campaign to reinforce American heritage and pride.
Critics argue that such symbolic gestures distract from substantive policy issues, while supporters contend that reaffirming American nomenclature is a legitimate exercise of executive authority.
What’s next?
Apple’s timeline for implementing the name change remains unclear. The administration has indicated that it will continue to work with major technology platforms to ensure the new designation appears in U.S. mapping services. Observers will be watching how quickly the change rolls out and whether it influences public perception of the ongoing trade negotiations with Canada.
Regardless of the outcome, the episode underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to use executive actions to shape cultural and geographic narratives, reinforcing its broader agenda of promoting American identity and sovereignty.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
