USGS employees in the United States express dissatisfaction with Trump’s naming ideas
In the United States, employees of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have expressed dissatisfaction over President Donald Trump’s initiatives to rename geographical features. These include, in particular, an order to call Lake Ontario “Lake America” and his suggestion of possibly renaming the Strait of Hormuz the Trump Strait, The National reports.
Several USGS employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fears of possible consequences, described a bleak atmosphere at the agency. One of them said that disputes over names distract the institution from its core work, as employees have to change labels on signs, maps and other materials.
Changes in USGS systems
According to the outlet, names of geographical features are usually approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names through a vote rather than by presidential order. At the same time, an agency employee noted that there had been precedents for such orders.
USGS Director Ned Mamula said in an email that Trump published on social media that, as of 4:30 p.m., the Geological Survey had officially changed the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” in all of its electronic documents. According to him, changes to printed documents were expected to begin appearing over the following few days.
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USGS employees stressed that this requires time and budget expenditures. One source called such work unnecessary because it is paid for with taxpayers’ money.
Possible renaming of the Strait of Hormuz
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, USGS employees said that even if U.S. authorities decide to change its name, the decision would apply only to the use of the name in the United States. According to them, international cartographic standards for federal agencies are coordinated by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
The sources also pointed out that Canada and other countries will continue to call Lake Ontario by its customary name. Apple and Google, which, according to the outlet, use USGS information for labels in mapping services, changed the lake’s name for users in the United States.
Mamula, whom Trump appointed to lead the USGS, did not respond to requests for comment. An agency public affairs representative told the outlet that the USGS would not comment on the situation.
