Key facts
- MapQuest stated it will not change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" as ordered by President Donald Trump.
- The company's refusal was posted on its X account and received significant engagement.
- Trump's executive order aims to rename federal agencies' references to Lake Ontario, but does not legally bind private companies.
- The dispute is connected to ongoing trade tensions and retaliatory tariffs between the U.S. and Canada.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also rejected the proposed name change.
MapQuest, an early online mapping service, has publicly defied President Donald Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." The company posted a screenshot of the lake on its X account with the caption, "We're not changing it," which garnered significant attention. This stance comes amid heightened trade tensions between the United States and Canada, which have led to retaliatory tariffs on various products.
President Trump's order, similar to one he issued previously to rename the Gulf of Mexico, compels federal agencies to adopt the new names. However, it does not legally obligate private companies like MapQuest, Google, or Apple to follow suit. MapQuest has also created a tool allowing users to generate custom screenshots with their own chosen names for the lake, with popular suggestions including "Lake of Hormuz" and "Lake Gulf of Mexico."
Lake Ontario, the smallest of the Great Lakes, straddles the U.S.-Canada border. The name "Ontario" has Indigenous origins, meaning "great lake" or "beautiful water." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the proposed name change, affirming the lake's traditional name. The trade dispute escalated after Canada withdrew from trade talks, prompting Trump's imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods, which Canada has vowed to counter with its own tariffs set to take effect in September.