Overview
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late August directing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America' for U.S. federal use.
- The U.S. Geographic Names Information System updated its record and Google changed its maps to show 'Lake America' to U.S. users, with Canadian viewers still seeing 'Lake Ontario' or both names.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the president contacted Apple directly and Apple then rolled out the 'Lake America' label for many U.S. Apple Maps users.
- MapQuest and other services refused to adopt the new label and MapQuest’s app surged to the top of download charts as users sought alternatives.
- Canadian officials and Indigenous leaders condemned the move as disrespectful and legally ineffectual across the border, and the episode has highlighted how a few tech platforms can rapidly amplify government naming decisions and cause practical confusion for cross-border websites and services.