President Donald Trump wanted Google Maps to rename the Atlantic Ocean “Trump Ocean,” but Google CEO Sundar Pichai was not on board with the idea, according to Trump’s account of their conversation.
Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina on Wednesday, Trump recounted asking Pichai to change the ocean’s name on the mapping platform. The Google chief executive reportedly turned down the request, citing the geographical complexities involved.
“I called Google Maps to change the name of the Atlantic Ocean to Trump Ocean. Sundar said, ‘No, no, no,’” Trump said. “He said, ‘Please don’t ask us to do that.’”
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Trump praised Pichai as a “brilliant guy” before describing the exchange. According to the president, Pichai explained that oceans span multiple countries, making the proposed change different from renaming smaller geographical features.
“He said, oceans are different, sir. You know, they cover a lot of countries,” Trump recalled, adding that Google had made clear it would not pursue the change.
Trump also claimed he had shared an image with the company showing the proposed name. He later said the suggestion was intended as a joke, describing it as far from the worst idea he had proposed.
The remarks follow Trump’s earlier suggestions that the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean should be renamed to reflect American interests. According to an Oct. 10 report by The Washington Post, Trump had floated names including “Trump Ocean” and “Ocean of the Americas.” He argued that the United States deserved an ocean named after it and suggested he wanted such a change before leaving office.
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The episode also fits into Trump’s broader push to rename geographical landmarks. In 2025, his administration moved to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, prompting objections from Mexico and a dispute with The Associated Press over the terminology used in its coverage.
In August 2026, Trump also renamed Lake Ontario, which borders the United States and Canada, as Lake America amid tensions with Canadian leaders over trade and tariffs.
Digital mapping services have adopted some of the administration’s geographical naming changes for users in the United States. However, the use of revised names can vary by country and platform, reflecting differences in official recognition and international naming conventions.