Trump Pushes Apple to Rename Lake Ontario on Maps, as Google Already Complies

US President Donald Trump has directly asked Apple to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America on its Maps platform, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News on Monday. Burgum said the president had reached out to Apple directly, adding: "I'm sure we may be seeing that change coming up soon."

The request follows Trump's executive order last week changing the name of one of the Great Lakes, which borders the province of Ontario and the state of New York. Google Maps updated the name over the weekend for US-based users, though users in Canada still see Lake Ontario. Apple Maps has so far not changed the name, displaying Lake Ontario as of Monday.

The renaming has faced pushback in Canada, where one electrical utility company, Toronto-based Hydro One, apologised on Sunday after its map briefly displayed the Lake America name due to a third-party mapping service. "We are working with our vendor to correct the issue as quickly as possible and restore the proper geographic reference," the company said in a statement.

The development comes the same week Apple Maps began rolling out paid advertisements in search results, a feature the company announced in March. Ads appear as the first entry in the "suggested places" section and at the top of search results, marked with a blue "ad" icon. The rollout started in the US and Canada, with more users expected to see the ads over the coming weeks.

Apple has not commented on the renaming request.

Why This Matters

This is another escalation in the US-Canada trade war under Trump, extending a naming dispute to a major tech platform.
Apple Maps users, particularly in Canada, may see a politically charged change to a geographic name that has been in place for centuries.
The pressure on Apple could set a precedent for how tech companies handle executive orders that affect digital map data across borders.

Background

The renaming of Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' is part of a broader series of trade and diplomatic tensions between the US and Canada under the Trump administration. The executive order, signed on Thursday, was accompanied by a sign in the Oval Office reading "Making the Great Lakes Even Greater" with a map showing the new label. Google Maps updated the name for US users within days, but Apple Maps has so far resisted or not yet implemented the change. The dispute has also sparked local reactions, including a large Lake Ontario sign installed by Canada as a symbolic jab.

Key Perspectives

Trump Administration: Views the name change as a matter of national pride and expects tech companies to comply with executive orders. The Interior Secretary signaled the change is coming soon. Apple: Has not commented publicly, but its Maps platform continues to use the original name, suggesting a cautious approach or internal deliberation. Canadian Officials and Public: Strong pushback, with Hydro One apologising for briefly displaying the new name. Canadian agencies and citizens see the renaming as an affront to geography and sovereignty.

What to Watch

Whether Apple Maps updates the name in the coming days, and whether it will be geo-restricted to US users like Google's approach.
Any official statement from Apple on the matter.
Further Canadian retaliatory measures, such as symbolic or commercial actions against US tech companies.
The timing of the Apple Maps ads rollout in Canada, which could become entangled with the renaming controversy.

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