Trump says Google CEO rejected proposal to rename Atlantic Ocean
publishers 20articles 22first reported 22 Oct, 09:22 UTCdeveloping since 22 Oct · 11 editions
President Donald Trump said he asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai about renaming the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps, but was discouraged after Pichai objected to the proposal.
Speaking at a rally in Clemson, South Carolina, on Wednesday, Trump said he had considered applying either his own name or “America” to the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. According to Trump’s account, he asked Pichai whether Google could “handle” changing the Atlantic’s name.
Trump quoted Pichai as replying, “No, no, no. This time I’m not doing it,” and explaining that oceans “cover a lot of countries.” Trump then told the audience he would “probably pass” on the idea and said, “I think let’s keep it the Atlantic Ocean.” He also floated calling the Pacific Ocean the “American Ocean,” without announcing a formal proposal.
Google had not publicly confirmed Trump’s account. The Verge and The Guardian said they contacted the company for comment but had not received an immediate response.
Google Maps previously adopted “Gulf of America” and “Lake America” for users in the United States following Trump’s executive orders directing federal agencies to use those names for the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario. The original names remain visible to users in Mexico and Canada, respectively, while some users elsewhere see both versions.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 6 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 20
- Source articles
- 22
- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 6 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →