Could the Atlantic Ocean soon have a new name as Trump suggests changes? Here's what Trump says Google CEO did to his proposal

President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the Atlantic Ocean, but he says Google CEO Sundar Pichai pushed back when he raised the idea. Speaking at a rally in South Carolina, Trump described a conversation in which he asked whether Google Maps could handle another major geographical name change. According to Trump, Pichai said oceans were different because they span multiple countries.

Trump has since indicated he will probably leave the Atlantic Ocean’s name unchanged. The inputs are taken from Variety and Newsweek.

What name did Trump want for the Atlantic Ocean?

At a rally at Clemson University in South Carolina, Trump told supporters he wanted to add an ocean to his list of geographical renaming ideas. “So we have a lake. And we have a gulf. Now we need a river, and we need an ocean,” he said.

He also explained why he had two oceans in mind. “I only like two oceans: the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. I’m not gonna put either ‘Trump’ or ‘America’ on any other ocean but these two.”

Trump said he had seriously considered renaming the Atlantic Ocean and contacted Pichai to ask whether Google Maps could reflect the change. “I said, ‘Sundar, I’m thinking of the Atlantic Ocean. Can you handle it?’” Trump recalled.

According to Trump, Pichai rejected the request, saying, “No, no, no — this time I’m not doing it… Oceans are different, sir. They cover really a lot of countries. Please don’t ask us to do that.”

Google has not publicly confirmed that the conversation took place.

Why has Trump renamed other bodies of water

Trump previously ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America” for US government purposes. In August, he also ordered Lake Ontario to be called “Lake America” amid a trade dispute with Canada. Google Maps reflects the Trump-designated names for US users, while including the more familiar geographical names in parentheses in search results.

Those changes prompted Trump to consider whether the same approach could apply to the Atlantic Ocean. However, his account of Pichai’s response suggests that the idea may not move forward.

Will the Atlantic Ocean get a new name?

Trump told the crowd he would “probably pass” on the proposal. He then asked supporters whether the ocean should keep its existing name.

“So I’ll probably pass it, should I pass? I think let's keep it the Atlantic Ocean, right?” he said. There is no announced replacement name for the Atlantic Ocean. Trump has indicated he will leave it as it is, and Google has not confirmed his account of the conversation.