Soon after Donald Trump unilaterally renamed a global landmark, Google Maps reclassified the United States as a "sensitive country," a designation typically reserved for nations with strict governments or border disputes, such as China and Russia.
The move follows President Donald Trump's renaming of major geographic landmarks, including the Gulf of Mexico, now labeled the "Gulf of America," and Alaska's Denali, now referred to as Mount McKinley, CNBC reported.
Google's decision highlights the growing tension between tech companies and the Trump administration as they navigate his second term.
Trump has long expressed dissatisfaction with place names he sees as politically motivated. During his first presidency, he clashed with federal agencies over geographic names, including opposing the Obama administration's 2015 decision to restore Mount McKinley's original Indigenous name, Denali.
Upon returning to office in January 2025, Trump wasted no time issuing executive orders to rename key landmarks.
His administration updated federal maps and communications accordingly, pressuring private companies, including Google, to follow suit.
Google's reclassification of the U.S. as a "sensitive country" is a response to these recent changes.
The label is applied to countries where geographic naming disputes or political sensitivities require different labels based on location. Other countries with this designation include China, Russia, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
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