Trump Asked Google CEO to Rename the Atlantic Ocean After Himself
US President Donald Trump has revealed that he once discussed renaming the Atlantic Ocean with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, suggesting that the vast body of water could be named after himself or given a name associated with America.
Speaking at a political rally in South Carolina on October 21, Trump said he had contacted Pichai to ask whether Google could handle the proposed change. According to Trump, the Google chief executive declined, explaining that renaming the Atlantic Ocean would be more complicated because it is connected to numerous countries.
Trump cited previous geographical renaming initiatives, including the Gulf of Mexico being renamed the Gulf of America for official US government use. He also referred to changes involving Lake Ontario, which he said had been renamed Lake America.
Following those moves, Google Maps began displaying the revised names to users in the United States. However, geographical names can differ across countries depending on local government policies and official recognition.
Trump has previously floated the idea of calling the Atlantic Ocean “Trump Ocean” or “Ocean of the Americas.” During the South Carolina rally, he also jokingly suggested that the Pacific Ocean could be called the “American Ocean.”
Renaming the Atlantic Ocean would present a far greater challenge than changing a name used in US government documents. The ocean borders multiple continents and is internationally known by its established name. A decision by the US government would not automatically compel other countries or international organisations to adopt a new designation.
Although Trump described his conversation with Pichai, Google has not independently confirmed the reported exchange. As a result, the account remains based on the president’s own version of the conversation.
The episode highlights Trump’s continued interest in geographical renaming and his administration’s efforts to promote changes to place names used in official US settings.
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 23 Oct 2026, 12:00.
