Apple Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' on Maps App

Apple has changed the label for Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its mapping app for U.S. users, following direct pressure from President Donald Trump. The move came on Tuesday, the same day John Ternus officially became Apple's new CEO.

With this change, Apple becomes the second major U.S. tech company to comply with Trump's controversial executive order, after Google announced it would rename the lake to “Lake America” on Google Maps over the weekend.

Trump's executive order cannot force private companies to change their naming conventions, but it does update the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. This database standardizes how the federal government refers to geographic features, and companies like Google and Apple often reference this system for their maps.

However, statements from administration officials indicate the president has taken direct action to ensure private companies—which rely on the federal government for approvals and contracts—comply with the renaming. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a Fox News interview on Monday that Trump “personally reached out to Apple” last week to request the lake be renamed on Apple Maps.

Previously, Apple had complied with other renaming orders from Trump, including changing the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” and renaming Denali mountain in Alaska to “Mount McKinley.”

It remains unclear whether Apple Maps holds a similar stance to rival Google regarding the name label. Apple has not responded to Al Jazeera's request for comment. In a statement on Saturday, Google emphasized that its maps follow names from “official government sources.” As a result, U.S. users see “Lake America,” Canadian users see “Lake Ontario,” and viewers in other countries see both labels.

Not all digital mapping companies are complying with Trump's changes. MapQuest—a popular website in the 1990s and 2000s—has pushed back, writing on social media: “Call it whatever you want.” The company's mobile app is currently the top free app on Apple's App Store.

Trump's efforts to rename Lake Ontario come amid deteriorating U.S.-Canada relations during his second term. Just before the “Lake America” executive order, trade talks between the longtime allies collapsed, leading to the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on nearly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada has vowed to retaliate with equivalent tariffs on U.S. exports.

Lake Ontario sits between the two countries, and its name derives from the Indigenous Wendat language. Trump has sought to increase U.S. influence across the Western Hemisphere, including changing naming conventions and designating English as the official language of the U.S.