Donald Trump recently informed supporters in South Carolina that he attempted to have the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean renamed the "Trump Ocean." According to the former president, Google CEO Sundar Pichai rejected the request because these waters cross multiple national borders.
The "Trump Ocean" proposal and Sundar Pichai's refusal
During a rally in South Carolina, Donald Trump claimed he approached Google's chief executive, Sundar Pichai, with a request to rename a major body of water. The proposal, as described by Donald Trump, suggested that either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean be rebranded as the "Trump Ocean." This request was reportedly denied on the grounds that oceans are international features that span the territories of many different countries.
As reported in the source, Sundar Pichai explained to Donald Trump that while Google is willing to udpate names on U.S. maps following a federal decision, the company does not possess the authority to unilaterally change geographic names recognized globally. Following this revelation, Donald Trump joked with the crowd about potentially leaving the Atlantic Ocean's name as it currently stands.
From the Gulf of America to Lake America
This attempt to rename an ocean is part of a broader pattern of geographic rebranding initiated by Donald Trump during his second administration. In January 2025, the president signed an executive order that redesignated the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for all U.S. federal purposes. Google subsequently updated its Maps application for users within the United States to reflect this change, though the original name remained visible to users outside the U.S .
The administration continued this trend in August 2026, when Donald Trump signed another executive order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America." Similar to the previous instance, Google mirrored this change for its U.S.-based users, while Canadian users continued to see the body of water listed as Lake Ontario. These moves suggest a strategy of using executive power to project national identity onto shared geographic landmarks.
Why Newsweek notes U.S. orders don't bind international bodies
The tension between domestic decrees and international reality is a central theme in these naming disputes. Newsweek says that any decision made by the U.S. government to rename a geographic feature for federal use does not automatically force other nations or international organizations to adopt the new terminology. This creates a fragmented digital map where the name of a landmark depends entirely on the user's GPS location.
Beyond the oceans and lakes, Donald Trump has also suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as the "Trump Strait." At a recent rally in Tennessee, the former president further hinted that he might rename a major river before his term ends. These suggestions highlight a desire to leave a permanent, physical mark on the world's geography, even if such changes are only recognized within U.S. borders.
The silence from the White House and Google's lack of confirmation
Despite the public claims made by Donald Trump, several key details remain unverified. Google has not publicly confirmed that a conversation regarding the "Trump Ocean" ever took place with Sundar Pichai, and the White House has declined to comment on the matter. This leaves the actual nature of the interaction—and whether it was a formal request or a casual suggestion—entirely in the realm of the president's account.
Furthermore, it remains unclear which "major river" Donald Trump might be targeting for a name change. While the president has expressed a desire to add another landmark to his list of redesignations, the specific target and the legal mechanism he intends to use to enforce such a change remain unknown .
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