Google Maps Updates Display to Label Lake Ontario as Lake America Following Executive Order

President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America in the United States amid ongoing trade disputes with Canada.

Google Maps has begun showing “Lake America” for U.S. users, reflecting the official designation by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

Google explained that it aligns map names with official government sources, noting that U.S. users will see “Lake America,” Canadian users will retain “Lake Ontario,” and users elsewhere will see both names. This practice follows its long‑standing policy for water bodies with differing names across borders.

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US President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 27, 2026. (Al Drago/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Google stated that the renaming reflects its standard approach to aligning map data with official government designations, emphasizing its policy for bodies of water that carry different names in various jurisdictions. The change follows the formal update by the GNIS. White House communications director Steven Cheung confirmed the update on X, posting, “It’s official! LAKE AMERICA on Google Maps.”

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“Making the Great Lakes Even Greater” signage during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 27, 2026.  (Al Drago/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On August 27, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America within the United States, calling the lake a “flourishing economic resource” critical to the nation. “The Lake will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy,” Trump wrote. “In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that the Lake officially be renamed as Lake America.”

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A Canadian flag flies along the Lake America waterfront in Toronto on Aug. 27, 2026. (Cole Burston / AFP via Getty Images)

The rename coincides with escalating trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa. A 50% tariff on approximately $20 billion of Canadian goods, including vehicles and steel, was imposed on August 22 after negotiations collapsed. In response, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on roughly $20 billion of U.S. imports, scheduled for September 8, according to Reuters.

Google could not immediately be reached by FOX Business for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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