Trump proposes renaming New Mexico to New America as state leaders reject plan

Trump proposes New America

United States President Donald Trump suggested renaming the state of New Mexico to New America in a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump shared an image of a state map where the word Mexico was crossed out and replaced with America. The graphic was subsequently circulated by the White House on social media. Trump described the territory as an area marked by historical election fraud while asserting that a name change would bring prestige to local residents.

Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great states where election fraud occurred of all time, to New America. It would be much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of this potentially incredible state. Wow, I like it.

Pushback from New Mexico officials

Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has led New Mexico since January 2019, rejected the proposal and declared the state name non-negotiable. Lujan Grisham stated that the name belongs to residents from an era before the United States existed, citing state initiatives in healthcare, housing, and free tuition. She accused the administration of using geographical debates to divert public attention from rising fuel and grocery costs alongside military operations in Iran.

While the president is trying to distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran, gas prices continue to rise. While the White House wastes time coloring maps, New Mexico is doing the work.

Other Democratic lawmakers representing the state in Washington also opposed the idea. Representative Melanie Stansbury affirmed that the name carries generations of cultural heritage, while Representative Gabe Vasquez said the administration would fail to erase New Mexico. Senator Martin Heinrich stated that he would continue calling the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, and New Mexico by their original designations. The New Mexico Republican Party did not release an immediate comment on the proposal. Legal frameworks prevent the president from unilaterally renaming a state, as such alterations require state-level action. Records from the Bureau of Indian Affairs document that the designation New Mexico dates back to the sixteenth century, pre-dating the founding of the American republic.

Federal renaming actions since 2025

The statement follows earlier federal renaming directives issued during Trump's second term. On 20 January 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14172, titled Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness, directing the Interior Department to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and reinstate Mount McKinley. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names formally approved the maritime change in February 2025, and the House of Representatives passed legislation codifying it in May 2025. On 27 August 2026, Trump signed an order designating Lake Ontario as Lake America during a trade dispute with Canada. Both Mexico and Canada refused to recognize the geographical revisions. The Associated Press was excluded from Oval Office coverage after continuing to use international naming standards, while domestic mapping platforms such as Google Maps and Apple Maps altered displays exclusively for users located inside the United States.