Technology

‘Lake America’ appears on Google Maps in US after Trump’s renaming order: Here’s what to know

Google has updated maps following directions from the Trump administration

Published August 30, 2026
‘Lake America’ appears on Google Maps in US after Trump’s renaming order: Here’s what to know

Google is set to roll out changes to how its maps display Lake Ontario’s name after Trump issued an executive order renaming it “Lake America” during a trade dispute between the US and Canada.

The president proposed an idea last week to rename the lake which sits between Canada’s most densely populated province, Ontario and New York state.

The recent move came after he had jeopardized the change earlier in the week as tense trade dynamics reached a breaking point.

On Saturday, Google said in a statement that people in the US now will see “Lake America” on their maps while in Canada they will see “Lake Ontario”.

People can now see both names displayed on their map with “Lake America” appearing in the additional details.

The official statement from Google reads: “These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country and are starting to roll out now.”

Trump has issued directions to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update the Geographic Names Information System which works with the US Board on Geographic Names for toponymic standardization across federal use.

Google cited the legal name change under the GNIS noting that its maps are updated to reflect official government records.

Ruqia Shahid
Ruqia Shahid is a reporter specialising in science, focusing on discoveries, research developments, and technological advancements. She translates complex scientific concepts into clear, engaging stories, helping readers understand the latest innovations and their real-world impact through accurate, accessible, and insight-driven reporting.