Key Points
- Donald Trump has suggested changing the name of New Mexico to “New America”.
- New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected the proposal, saying the name was not open for debate.
- The suggestion follows Trump’s recent attempts to rename other geographic landmarks, including the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario.
Main Story
US President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the state of New Mexico “New America”, prompting an immediate rejection from the state’s governor.
Trump made the suggestion on Sunday in a social media post, saying the proposal had been put forward by “many people”.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” Trump said, describing the proposed name as more prestigious and beautiful for the state.
The White House subsequently reposted an image of the state’s name with “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America”.
Some US media reports said the suggestion originated as an internet hoax.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, however, dismissed the proposal in an interview with Fox News.
She said the state’s name was not open for discussion, noting that it had existed before the United States was established.
Lujan Grisham also accused Trump of seeking to distract Americans from domestic issues, including rising fuel prices.
Trump’s latest proposal comes amid a series of efforts to rename geographical locations.
Last week, he suggested calling the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait” as the war with Iran continued, although he later appeared to indicate that he was not serious about the proposal.
Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” on his first day back in the White House in 2025. Mexico rejected the move.
Canada has similarly rejected Trump’s attempt to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America”, which he proposed days before the New Mexico suggestion.
The proposed changes have formed part of Trump’s broader use of presidential naming directives and public statements to promote alternative names for prominent geographical locations.
The Issues
The New Mexico proposal raises questions about the political and historical significance attached to geographic names in the United States.
New Mexico has used its current name since before US statehood, while the state government has rejected any suggestion that the name should be changed.
Trump’s repeated naming proposals have also generated responses from neighbouring countries where the affected geographical features have cross-border or international significance.
What’s Being Said
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” said US President Donald Trump.
“The name isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
What’s Next
The proposal would face opposition from New Mexico’s state government, which has already rejected the suggestion.
Trump’s administration has also continued to promote alternative names for geographical locations, although some of the proposed changes have been rejected by affected governments.
Bottom Line
Trump’s proposal to rename New Mexico “New America” has been rejected by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The suggestion is the latest in a series of geographical renaming proposals associated with the US president.
