Trump pressed Apple to label Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ on maps, Burgum says
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed that President Donald Trump personally called Apple to demand the tech giant label Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ on its maps, following an executive order amid the trade war with Canada.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has revealed that President Donald Trump personally telephoned Apple to demand the company rename Lake Ontario as «Lake America» on its digital maps. The disclosure, made public this week, casts new light on how the White House is pressing private corporations to comply with presidential directives during an escalating trade dispute with Canada.
According to Burgum, the call was a direct intervention by the president aimed at securing Apple’s cooperation with an executive order concerning the naming of the lake. The order, issued amid rising tensions between Washington and Ottawa, seeks to rebrand the body of water that forms part of the border between the United States and Canada. Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes and is bordered by the US state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario.
The Interior Secretary’s remarks confirm that the administration is not limiting its efforts to federal agencies but is also engaging with major technology companies to implement its policy objectives. Apple, which operates one of the most widely used mapping services in the world, has not publicly commented on whether it has complied with the request. The company’s maps are used by millions of consumers and businesses across North America, giving any naming change significant practical and symbolic weight.
The demand comes against the backdrop of a broader trade conflict between the United States and Canada, with the Trump administration having imposed tariffs on Canadian goods and repeatedly criticised Ottawa’s trade practices. The renaming initiative appears to be part of a wider effort by the president to assert American sovereignty and national identity in response to what he has characterised as unfair treatment by a key ally. Critics, however, have dismissed the move as a symbolic gesture that risks inflaming relations with a neighbour and longstanding partner.
Burgum, a former governor of North Dakota who now leads the Department of the Interior, made the revelation without specifying when the call took place or how Apple responded. His statement adds a new dimension to the administration’s approach to governance, illustrating a willingness to bypass traditional regulatory channels and appeal directly to corporate leaders. The episode also raises questions about the extent to which private companies may be drawn into political disputes, particularly those involving geographic naming conventions that carry historical and diplomatic significance.
The naming of geographical features has long been a sensitive issue in international relations, and the proposal to rename Lake Ontario has already drawn criticism from Canadian officials and commentators. Observers note that the lake is shared between the two countries, and any unilateral change to its designation could set a precedent for other cross-border landmarks. The administration has not indicated whether similar demands have been made to other technology firms or mapping providers.
For now, the public response from Apple remains awaited, and it is unclear whether the company will alter its maps to reflect the president’s request. The episode underscores the unusual intersection of technology, geopolitics, and domestic policy in the current political climate, as the White House seeks to project strength on multiple fronts. Burgum’s disclosure ensures that the matter will remain in the public eye as the trade dispute with Canada continues to unfold.
