After renaming the Gulf and a Great Lake, Trump proposes a ‘more prestigious and beautiful’ name for New Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the American state of New Mexico to "New America," despite having no legal authority to alter the name of a U.S. state. The proposal was shared on Trump's Truth Social account, accompanied by a map and an AI-generated video showcasing a "Welcome to New Mexico" sign with the word "Mexico" crossed out and replaced with "America." Trump claimed that many people had suggested the name change, describing it as "more prestigious and beautiful."

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Gresham strongly rejected Trump's proposal, stating that the state's name has been "ours since before the United States existed" and emphasizing that debates over the name should focus on supporting working families. Lujan Grisham pointed out that the United States purchased New Mexico's southwestern corner in the 1853 Gadsden Purchase and that most of the present-day state was acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1846-48.

Trump's attempt to change New Mexico's name has been met with rejection, as the state's name is protected by its Constitution. New Mexico's Democratic leaders firmly rejected the idea, emphasizing that any attempt to change the name would have to originate from within the state itself. The origins of New Mexico's name can be traced back to the 16th century, when Mexicans referred to the territory north and west of the Rio Grande as "New Mexico," according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.