Trump shares map that renames New Mexico as ‘New America’

On September 7, Donald Trump, the US President, floated the idea of renaming the state of New Mexico to "New America," sparking immediate derision from the state's governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. The suggestion came days after Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amid a trade dispute with Canada. In a series of tweets, Trump expressed enthusiasm for the proposal, stating that the name change would be "more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State."

The White House shared an image showing the "Mexico" part of the state's name crossed out and replaced with "America." However, some US media outlets suggested that the idea might have originated as an internet hoax. Lujan Grisham firmly rejected the notion, asserting that the state's name had been "ours since before the United States existed." She accused Trump of trying to "distract Americans" from pressing issues like high gas prices.

The president's suggestion of renaming geographical locations was not a new tactic. Earlier in the week, he proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait" as tensions with Iran escalated. Just hours later, Trump seemed to backtrack, implying that he was not serious about the plan. In his inaugural address in 2025, Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," a move promptly rejected by Mexico. Canada also dismissed Trump's attempt to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America."

This latest proposal, if taken seriously, would mark another attempt by Trump to assert his influence on geographical and political boundaries, a pattern that has been evident throughout his presidency.