Trump suggests renaming New Mexico state ‘New America’

In a surprising turn of events, US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of renaming the state of New Mexico to "New America." This proposal, shared via social media, has been met with swift dismissal by New Mexico's governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. The White House has reposted an image depicting the word "Mexico" crossed out, with "America" in its place, but the governor firmly stated that the name "isn't up for debate — it's been ours since before the United States existed."

This renaming idea comes on the heels of Trump's recent efforts to rename geographical features in the United States. In a move that sparked international criticism, he renamed the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait" amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. Just a few hours later, Trump reportedly expressed doubt about the plan. In a similar vein, he renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on his first day back in the White House in 2025, a decision that Mexico swiftly rejected.

The concept of renaming geographical features as "America" has been a recurring theme in Trump's presidency. Days earlier, he had announced the renaming of Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amidst a trade dispute with Canada. The White House has thus far maintained that only New Mexico was considered for this new name, although the governor's dismissal of the proposal suggests that this particular idea may not gain traction.