Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ for US users after Trump order

Apple has changed the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for users of its Maps app in the United States. This alteration follows an executive order from former President Donald Trump, who sought to rename the Great Lake amid ongoing trade tensions with Canada. The updated name is visible only to American users, while users outside the US will continue to see the original name, Lake Ontario.
Reports indicate that Apple considered complying with Trump's request after he personally urged the company to implement the name change. Trump expressed approval of the decision, announcing on Truth Social that the adoption of "Lake America" by both Apple Maps and Google Maps signified that the name change was "complete, ratified, and binding." However, the US government cannot enforce this name change in Canada or any other country.
Trump officially announced the name change last week, omitting any reference to the escalating trade conflict with Canada. The timing of the order appears to be a retaliatory response to Canadian officials' criticism of Trump's recent tariffs, which led to the US imposing a 50% tariff on various Canadian imports. In retaliation, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans for tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on numerous US goods.
Carney rejected the name change, emphasizing that Lake Ontario derives its name from the Indigenous Wendat people and predates both the Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence. Earlier this week, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed that Trump had directly contacted Apple, predicting that users would soon see the name change.
Google Maps had already adopted the "Lake America" designation over the weekend, citing Trump's order and its adherence to the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). According to Google, US users will view the name Lake America, while Canadian users will still see Lake Ontario, and users in other regions will see both names.


Photo provided by : The Guardian


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