Trump Says Google CEO Rejected His Plan to Rename Atlantic Ocean

President Donald Trump says Google CEO Sundar Pichai rejected his proposal to rename the Atlantic Ocean, despite the company's earlier decision to change Google Maps labels for the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario at his administration's direction.

Speaking at an October 21, 2026, campaign rally in Pendleton, South Carolina, Trump said he contacted Pichai after considering renaming the ocean after himself or the United States. The president recounted the Google executive telling him, "No, no, no. This time I'm not doing it," explaining that oceans extend across numerous countries.

Google has not independently confirmed the conversation or announced a decision concerning the Atlantic Ocean. Trump indicated he would probably abandon the proposal, although he also raised the possibility of renaming the Pacific Ocean the "American Ocean."

The reported exchange follows Google's adoption of the Gulf of America designation after Trump signed a January 20, 2025, executive order directing the federal government to recognize the Gulf of Mexico under its new name. Once the federal Geographic Names Information System was updated, Google Maps began displaying Gulf of America to users in the United States.

Americans see Gulf of America, Mexican users continue to see Gulf of Mexico, and users elsewhere generally see both names.

Federal law gives the Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names responsibility for standardizing names used by federal agencies. Under Title 43 of the United States Code, those decisions govern official federal usage, while private mapping companies maintain their own geographic naming practices.

Trump expanded his renaming efforts on August 27, 2026, when he signed Executive Order 14422 directing federal agencies to recognize Lake Ontario as Lake America. Google Maps subsequently adopted the new designation for U.S. users while retaining Lake Ontario in Canada, which shares the lake with New York.

The Atlantic Ocean separates the Americas from Europe and Africa and borders numerous countries, a geographic distinction central to Pichai's reported explanation. Google's earlier changes followed updates to official federal records, while Trump's latest proposal involved a direct conversation with the company's chief executive.

During the rally, Trump indicated he would probably retain the Atlantic Ocean's existing name while suggesting a possible change to the Pacific Ocean. His administration has issued no executive order directing either renaming proposal.