MapQuest Resists Trump’s Order to Rename Lake Ontario

MapQuest has decided not to rename Lake Ontario despite President Donald Trump’s order to call it ‘Lake America’ for U.S. federal use. The mapping service confirmed on X that they would continue referring to the lake by its original name.

In a humorous response, MapQuest launched a name generator allowing users to choose their own names for the lake. ‘We’re not changing the name of Lake Ontario. Name it whatever you want at your leisure,’ stated the company, showcasing an image of the lake cheekily labeled ‘Lake Are We Doing This Again?’

The post attracted over 4.7 million views, prompting discussions about whether Google Maps will follow Trump’s directive.

Trump’s Executive Order

The renaming stems from an executive order signed by Trump to rename Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ for U.S. federal purposes amid tensions after collapsed trade talks with Canada. Trump criticized Canada’s trade stance, adding that the lake plays a key role in U.S. trade and defense.

The U.S. Geological Survey, as of a Friday announcement, had revised its documents to reflect this change. The renaming affects federal use only, not impacting Canadian uses or private companies. This follows a similar order last year, renaming the Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ for federal use.

Responses to MapQuest’s Stance

MapQuest’s objection to the executive order received varied responses online. While some appreciated the mapping service, others mocked its sudden reemergence. Eric Trump joked about the company’s relevance, and other users generated alternative names for the lake using the platform’s name generator.

Political leaders also reacted. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney defended the original name, noting its historical significance. Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul also rejected the renaming.

The U.S. State Department humorously acknowledged the situation by correcting their error, stating they had fixed the naming on their website.

Potential Google Maps Update

Google Maps previously adopted geographic changes prompted by U.S. government sources, as seen when the Gulf of Mexico became the Gulf of America. This adjustment occurred in 2025, reflecting updates made in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

It remains unclear if Google will apply the same strategy with Lake Ontario. Newsweek has sought comments from Google regarding its stance on adopting the ‘Lake America’ name.

Google’s previous approach showed Gulf of America to U.S. users, while others saw both names. Whether this process will be repeated for Lake Ontario is still undetermined.