Trump’s attempt to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps rebuffed by Google CEO
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President Donald Trump said Google CEO Sundar Pichai refused his request to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps, part of a pattern of symbolic name changes pushed from the White House and met with international pushback.
President Donald Trump announced at a rally in South Carolina that he had considered renaming one of the oceans bordering the United States, floating the idea that the Atlantic or Pacific could be given his name or simply called "America." The episode underscored how far he is willing to push symbolic branding gestures, and he said he contacted Google to explore changing the label on Google Maps. Trump recounted asking CEO Sundar Pichai, "Sundar, I’m thinking of the Atlantic Ocean. Can you handle it?" He quoted Pichai responding, "No, no, no. This time I’m not doing it. Oceans are different, sir. They cover really a lot of countries. Please don't ask us to do that."
"No, no, no. This time I’m not doing it," Pichai allegedly told Trump.
Trump added that he would keep the name Atlantic Ocean. Google did not immediately comment on the request.
The proposal follows earlier instances where Google Maps adopted new names such as "Gulf of America" and "Lake America" for U.S. users after federal executive orders, while the original names remain displayed for users in other countries. The episode highlights how political pressure can reshape digital maps in one market while leaving the rest of the world to use the established names. Experts note that international acceptance of such changes can be problematic, citing concerns from globe manufacturers about worldwide recognition.
"The issue of international acceptance is also a factor, as some nations may not accept it," Joseph Wright, CEO of Replogle Globes, told Business Insider.
For now, the Atlantic Ocean renaming idea has not been implemented on Google Maps.