Donald Trump claimed at a political rally on Saturday, October 17th, in Highland Heights, Kentucky, that Google now treats him very differently than it did during his first term. While listing what he described as his accomplishments, he brought up his decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, then turned to Google Maps.
cGoogle wouldn't have taken my call in the first term. Now they kiss my ass,d Trump told the crowd, according to a report by The Verge. The remark was part of a broader boast that his second term has been cmuch more powerful,d and it immediately became one of the most-shared clips of the weekend.
Google Maps and the renaming dispute
Trump's remark appears to imply that he convinced Google to reflect the Gulf of Mexico name change personally. That reading clashes with Google's public position on the issue, which the company has framed as routine and policy-driven rather than political.
According to The Verge, Google has said it simply reflects official government sources, pointing to the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), and that these updates follow its long-standing policy for bodies of water whose names differ from country to country.
- Google said its Maps updates simply follow cofficial government sources, which is GNIS for the US.d
- The company added that such changes follow its clong-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country.d
- Trump's comment suggests he personally persuaded Google to reflect the renaming c a claim that appears to contradict Google's own explanation.
