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Trump pushes Apple to rename Lake Ontario
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Trump asked Apple to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' on its maps. The move follows his executive order and Google's switch, escalating a trade war with Canada.
Background
Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 27, 2026, to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' in U.S. federal records, following the collapse of trade negotiations with Canada. Google updated its maps for U.S. users on Saturday, and now Trump is pressing Apple to do the same. The lake borders New York and Ontario, and the renaming is seen as part of an escalating trade dispute with Canada.
How it unfolded
- Aug 25, 2026Trump floated renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' on Truth Social, amid trade tensions with Ontario.
- Aug 27, 2026Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to change the name to 'Lake America' in federal records.
- Aug 29, 2026Google updated its maps to show 'Lake America' for U.S. users, while Canada still sees 'Lake Ontario'.
- Aug 31, 2026Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Trump personally asked Apple to make the same change on Apple Maps.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the executive order requires the Board of Geographic Names to update federal systems, which 'cascades down to all map providers.'
- Public
- Seneca Nation leader said the move violates a 225-year-old treaty and shows 'blatant disrespect' for Indigenous people.
- Caution
- Google stated it follows a long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary by country, showing both names outside the U.S. and Canada.
Still unverified
Apple has not publicly responded to Trump's request as of the latest reports.