Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Monday that President Trump has directly requested Apple to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on its platforms, following an executive order the president signed last week. Burgum made the remarks during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” telling host Cheryl Casone, “I know that the president reached out to Apple directly, so I’m sure that we may be seeing that change coming up soon to Lake America.”
As of Tuesday morning, Apple Maps still displayed the original name, “Lake Ontario,” for users in the United States. The request to Apple comes on the heels of Trump’s executive order, issued last Thursday, which formally changed the name of the Great Lake to “Lake America” effective immediately. “We’re going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to Lake America,” Trump declared at the time.
The renaming initiative is part of an escalating trade war between Washington and Ottawa, with both governments imposing tariffs on each other’s goods in recent weeks. The move has drawn attention to how tech companies handle geographic name changes in official government sources.
Google has already complied with the change. On Saturday, Google Maps updated the lake’s name to “Lake America” for users in the U.S., while Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario.” International users see both names. Google attributed the update to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which officially adopted the new name. The company stated, “Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S., people using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names.”
Apple has not yet issued a public response to Trump’s request. The company’s current leadership transition, with John Ternus recently stepping in as CEO, may influence how quickly it acts on the presidential directive. The tech giant has historically followed official naming conventions, but the political nature of this change could prompt a more cautious approach.
The executive order has sparked debate among cartographers, historians, and political observers. Some argue that renaming a body of water that borders both the U.S. and Canada without international agreement sets a problematic precedent. Others see it as a symbolic gesture tied to the administration’s hardline trade stance.
This is not the first time Trump has sought to assert American nomenclature. His administration has previously pushed for renaming other geographic features, though none have involved direct pressure on private tech companies. The move also comes as Trump’s approval ratings remain at historic lows, with recent polls showing widespread public concern over economic issues.
For now, Apple Maps users in the U.S. will continue to see “Lake Ontario” until the company decides whether to comply with the president’s request. Given the precedent set by Google, it may only be a matter of time before the change appears across all major mapping platforms.
