Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai turned down an appeal by United States President Donald Trump to label the Atlantic Ocean as Trump Ocean on Google Maps, based on statements from Trump.
During a campaign event in Dalton, Georgia, Trump stated that he reached out to Google Maps regarding the alteration. Pichai turned down the proposal, according to Trump, explaining that oceans cover multiple nations and requesting that he drop the inquiry.
Trump mentioned that he transmitted a graphic to Google depicting the updated label on the map, but faced another refusal. He noted that he will probably abandon the concept, while jokingly proposing that the Pacific Ocean might be named American Ocean.
At a previous campaign event this month in Clarksville, Tennessee, Trump suggested altering the name of either the Atlantic or the Pacific to Trump Ocean or Ocean of the Americas. He expressed a desire for the update to happen during his time in office and eliminated the possibility of renaming the Hudson River or the Mississippi River.
The petition comes after past actions by the Trump administration to change names of physical landmarks. Following a presidential directive, Google Maps started labeling the Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America for users in the United States.
During this year, Google Maps also started showing Lake Ontario as Lake America for American users, while people in Canada continue to view the traditional designation. Apple Maps implemented similar updates for users in the US. Trump is currently conducting campaign events nationwide prior to the midterm elections next month.
