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President Donald Trump revealed at a rally in South Carolina that he attempted to rename the Atlantic Ocean but was turned down by Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Trump, who has already renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" and Lake Ontario to "Lake America" through executive orders, approached Pichai to make the change on Google Maps. However, Pichai declined, citing the complexity of renaming an ocean that borders numerous countries, as reported by The Hill.
Trump recounted his conversation with Pichai, saying, "I said, 'Sundar, I’m thinking of the Atlantic Ocean, can you handle it?'" Pichai reportedly responded, "No, no, no. This time I’m not doing it," and explained that oceans are different due to their international reach. Despite the refusal, Trump mentioned he would "probably pass" on renaming the Atlantic Ocean, but he also considered renaming the Pacific Ocean to "the American Ocean."
The president's previous renaming efforts have been implemented on Google Maps for users in the United States, while users in Canada and other countries still see the original names. Engadget noted that these changes were made following Trump's executive orders, and other tech companies like Apple have followed suit.
Trump's renaming initiatives have sparked controversy, with some viewing them as symbolic gestures rather than addressing pressing issues. Despite this, the president continues to explore further renaming possibilities, including the suggestion to rename New Mexico to "New America," which has faced pushback from state leaders.