Who Owns MapQuest? App Surges After Defying Trump on Lake America Change

MapQuest has regained national attention after publicly declining to adopt President Donald Trump's decision to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." The company's CEO, Michael Blend, expressed that the decision was an easy one to make, as people were expressing their support through increased app downloads. MapQuest's downloads surged over 300 percent and it quickly became the number one downloaded app in the Navigation category.

Doug Berger, MapQuest's general manager, stated that the decision was well-received by users. The controversy has become another flashpoint in deteriorating U.S.-Canada relations, following the collapse of trade talks and the introduction of new tariffs. While federal agencies are expected to use the new name, Canada has rejected the change and continues to recognize the lake as Lake Ontario.

The mapping service, owned by System1, has a history of political donations to Democrats, including a $2,000 donation to former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. The company's decision to resist the renaming has become part of its brand messaging, with a recent joke labeling the lake as "Lake Are We Doing This Again?" in response to the controversy.