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NewsABC Action News (WFTS) — NewsSeptember 2, 2026Hillsborough

MapQuest becomes top iPhone app after refusing to rename Lake Ontario

MapQuest has surged to the top of the Apple App Store rankings after publicly refusing to comply with a presidential executive order to rename Lake Ontario as 'Lake America.' While other navigation services like Google Maps and Apple Maps have implemented the name change for U.S. users, MapQuest has maintained the original name and introduced a feature allowing users to customize the label themselves.

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Why It Matters

The refusal to comply with the has led to a 50-fold increase in MapQuest app downloads, highlighting a shift in user preference toward navigation services that retain traditional geographic naming conventions.

Key Facts

  • MapQuest became the No. 1 free app on the Apple App Store as of Tuesday afternoon.
  • MapQuest usage is approximately 50 times higher than it was one week ago.
  • President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' following a trade dispute.
  • The administration also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America' via executive order.
  • Google Maps implemented the name change for U.S. users while maintaining 'Lake Ontario' for Canadian users.
  • Apple Maps updated its interface to 'Lake America' on Tuesday.
  • MapQuest launched a feature allowing users to rename the lake to their preference.
  • Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that President Trump contacted Apple directly regarding the name change.

Who's Mentioned

personDonald Trump“President who signed the executive order.”organizationApple Maps“Navigation app that implemented the name change.”personDoug Berger“General manager of MapQuest.”personEric Trump“Commented on MapQuest's continued existence.”organizationMapQuest“Mapping service that refused to rename the lake.”organizationGoogle Maps“Navigation app that implemented the name change for U.S. users.”personDoug Burgum“Interior Secretary who discussed the name change on Fox.”