Trump proposes renaming New Mexico to New America following geographical executive orders

Truth Social proposal and state pushback

Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that New Mexico be renamed New America. Writing on Truth Social on 6 September 2026, Trump stated that many people had recommended changing the state's name, asserting that the new title would bring prestige to an area with vast potential. The White House subsequently reposted an image from Trump's account where the word Mexico was crossed out and replaced with America. US press reports indicated that the concept originated as an internet hoax.

Trump praised the idea in his initial post before state officials responded.

Many people have suggested changing the name of New Mexico to NEW AMERICA. It is much more prestigious and beautiful for the residents of this state, which has incredible potential. Wow, I love it!!!

Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected the suggestion during an interview with Fox News. She stated that the state's name is not up for negotiation and has belonged to its residents since long before the establishment of the United States. Grisham added that the White House initiative represents an effort to distract the public from rising domestic problems, including steep increases in gasoline prices.

This name is not up for debate; it has been ours long before the founding of the United States.

Pattern of geographic renaming orders

The proposal for New Mexico follows earlier efforts by the administration to alter geographical names by executive action. In January 2025, at the start of his second presidential term, Trump signed an executive order titled Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness. That order renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, drawing formal objections from Mexico, and reverted Alaska's Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley.

In late August 2026, Trump signed another executive decree renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America in a trade dispute with Canada. Canadian officials rejected the change across their shared border. Trump also questioned financial ties with Ottawa, telling Fox News that Canada was not a US state and asking why Washington should subsidize the country. Renaming suggestions extended further the following week, when Trump proposed changing the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Trump, referencing the strategic waterway involved in military actions begun in February 2026 by the United States and Israel against Iran.

Tech sector and international responses

The administration's naming directives created divisions among navigation technology providers after the Lake Ontario decree. Technology firms Apple and Google updated their mapping software to display the label Lake America. In contrast, navigation provider MapQuest refused to modify its map database, announcing on the platform X that it would preserve traditional geographical names.

MapQuest chief executive Doug Berger reported that the decision triggered a surge in downloads, elevating the application in App Store rankings. Berger stated that hundreds of thousands of users supported the company's decision to maintain familiar designations for both the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario.

Midterm elections and domestic criticism

Political observers and critics framed the renaming announcements as distractions from broader governance challenges ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump's public approval ratings sit at low levels, and the Republican Party faces the risk of losing its legislative majority in the upcoming congressional vote.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh criticized the proposal, describing it as an advantage for political rivals. Walsh stated that the primary challenge facing Republicans in the midterms is countering accusations that the party failed to use its mandate to address the economic priorities of everyday Americans.