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Trump order reshapes maps
Apple renamed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” in its Maps app for users in the United States, after President Donald Trump’s order last week as part of a trade dispute with Canada.
“U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said yesterday that Trump “reached out to Apple directly””
9to5Mac said the change follows Trump’s order to change the name and that U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Trump “reached out to Apple directly” about making it.
The BBC reported that Apple’s move came after Trump’s executive order to change the lake’s name, with the change made for US-based users while those in Canada continue to see Lake Ontario displayed.
The BBC also said Trump’s executive order gives the US Department of the Interior 30 days to update the change with the Geographic Names Information Service, and that Apple was specifically urged by Trump to rename Lake Ontario on its Maps platform.
Al Jazeera reported that Apple updated the label for Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for US users after direct lobbying by Trump, and said the change took place on the same day that executive John Ternus became Apple’s new CEO.
Google complies; MapQuest resists
Google also changed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for US users, and ABC7 Los Angeles said Google updated its maps so that people in the United States see “lago Estados Unidos,” while those in Canada still see “lago Ontario.”
In a statement, Google told ABC7 Los Angeles that “Las personas que usen Maps en Estados Unidos verán 'lago Estados Unidos'', quienes estén en Canadá seguirán viendo 'lago Ontario'” and that users outside the two countries will see both names.
Al Jazeera said Trump’s order cannot compel private companies to change their naming conventions, but it makes a change to the US Geographic Names Information System that companies like Google reference for their own maps.
MapQuest pushed back, with Al Jazeera citing a now-viral tweet from MapQuest that wrote: “Name it whatever you want at your leisure.”
CBS News reported MapQuest’s refusal to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” after Trump signed an executive order last week, and said the company disclosed its decision on social media with “We’re not changing it.”
Backlash, politics, and stakes
The renaming unfolded alongside a broader US-Canada trade fight, with the BBC saying Trump’s order came after trade talks collapsed late last month and Washington imposed new 50% tariffs on $20bn (£14.8bn; C$28bn) worth of Canadian goods.
“63% said they opposed renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, compared to 14% in favor”
Fox News reported that a Reuters/Ipsos poll found 63% of Americans opposed renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, compared with 14% in favor, and said 57% opposed new tariffs on Canadian goods compared with 20% who supported the measures.
Fox News quoted White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers saying, “Canada has been a bad neighbor by ripping off our country for years,” in response to the poll.
The BBC described Canada’s reaction at the lake, saying Ontario installed a new sign reading “Lake Ontario. Now and Always,” and quoted Ontario Premier Doug Ford saying, “Just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we've set up this sign to remind them, it's Lake Ontario, now and forever,”
In the background of the map changes, the BBC said not all map providers adopted the new name and that MapQuest said “we're not changing it,” while it also reported that Google’s Maps app updates to “reflect name changes in official government sources.”