Staff Reports
The Associated Press has quietly told its reporters it will keep calling the Great Lake by its long‑standing name, Lake Ontario, even after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to use “Lake America” inside the United States. The AP says it will use the new name only when the president’s usage is directly relevant — and that has set off a small but revealing fight over who gets to decide what we call things on maps and in headlines.
AP digs in: style over the White House
AP spokesman Patrick Maks put it bluntly: the agency will “refer to Lake Ontario by its original name, including the name Trump has chosen when relevant,” because as a global news agency it must keep geography recognizable to broad audiences. That is true, but it also smells faintly of editorial posture. The AP has done this before when the administration tried to rename the Gulf of Mexico, and that clash even led to legal fights over access to presidential coverage. So this is not just about a lake — it’s about the press deciding whether to treat an executive order as news or as a branding exercise.
Maps, GNIS and the tug of war over labels
The administration didn’t just tweet and move on. The executive order instructed the Interior Department and the Board on Geographic Names to update the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). That change fed into mapping platforms. Google announced it would use the federal GNIS entry for U.S. users — so many Americans now see “Lake America” on Google Maps — while Canadian users still see Lake Ontario. Apple Maps reportedly updated as well after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the president reached out to Apple. MapQuest refused to change the label and, unsurprisingly, enjoyed a bump in downloads for taking a stand.
Why this matters: law, diplomacy and the media’s role
Let’s be clear about the legal point: a U.S. executive order can change U.S. government databases and influence domestic map labels, but it does not bind foreign governments. Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada and Canadian officials have publicly rejected the rename. That means a big body of water running along two countries will have two official names depending on which side of the border you’re on — and that makes reporters’ jobs harder and readers’ phones confusing.
What to watch next
There are real stakes here beyond snarky headlines. The AP’s decision is a media industry move that could trigger a response from the White House — remember the prior access dispute — and Congress may try to weigh in on executive power over names. Meanwhile, tech platforms will keep picking their policies: follow federal databases, follow international usage, or pick the audience they want to please. If you care about clear maps and steady government processes, this kerfuffle matters. If you prefer theater, you’re getting front‑row seats.
For now, the lake will be called different things in different places, and that’s the point. The administration can change a federal database with an order. The press can choose how to report it. Apple and Google can decide what millions of phones will read. And the rest of us get to watch who blinks first. Either way, the lesson is simple: names matter, and so does who gets to name things.
