Trump proposes renaming New Mexico to New America, drawing state pushback

Truth Social post on New Mexico

US President Donald Trump suggested in a post on Truth Social that the state of New Mexico should be renamed to New America. He published an image of a state map with the word Mexico crossed out in red and replaced with America. Trump stated that the proposed moniker would elevate the state.

Many people suggest changing the name of New Mexico to NEW AMERICA. It would be far more prestigious and beautiful for the residents of this state, which has unimaginable potential!

The post follows earlier geographic renaming actions taken by the administration across North American geographic features and international maritime routes.

State and congressional pushback

Elected officials representing New Mexico immediately rejected the suggestion, citing the region's cultural heritage. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham stated on X that the state's name is not open for discussion, emphasizing that it has belonged to residents since before the founding of the United States. Representative Melanie Stansbury responded directly to the post with "Absolutely not!", adding that the name carries the history, culture, and heritage of successive generations. Representative Gabe Vasquez asserted that the president would not succeed in erasing New Mexico. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller stated that the name has built the region's identity for more than 400 years.

We are proud residents of New Mexico and proud Americans.

Senator Martin Heinrich said there are three places he will always call by their true names: the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, and New Mexico. Local broadcaster KOAT reported on Sunday that the Republican Party of New Mexico had not yet commented on the post.

Prior executive renaming actions

The proposal for New Mexico follows earlier official renaming measures enacted during Trump's presidency. On January 20, 2025, his first day in office for his second term, Trump signed an executive order titled "on restoring names to honor American greatness." That order renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and designated Denali, the highest peak in North America, back to Mount McKinley. In 1896, gold prospector William A. Dickey named the mountain after presidential candidate William McKinley. In 1975, Alaska state representatives formally requested the federal government restore the indigenous name Denali.

Lake Ontario and maritime proposals

In August 2026, Trump signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario, located on the United States and Canada border, to Lake America. Trump subsequently published social media graphics defending the decision, including an image showing him crossing out Lake Ontario on a map with a red marker. In early September 2026, Trump also suggested on social media that the Strait of Hormuz could be renamed the Trump Strait. The White House subsequently posted graphics and maps depicting the proposed name across its official social media channels.