Published : 08 Sep 2026, 02:09 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:48 AM
US President Donald Trump has suggested that New Mexico should be renamed “New America”, drawing swift opposition from the state’s Democratic leaders.
Trump shared an image on social media on Sunday showing a map of New Mexico with “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America”, the New York Times reported.
The White House later reposted the image on its official X account.
Hours later, Trump posted what appeared to be an AI-generated video showing him placing an “America” label over “Mexico” on a “Welcome to New Mexico” road sign.
Trump has no legal authority to rename a state. New Mexico's name is enshrined in its Constitution, meaning any change would have to originate within the state, according to the NYT.
Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected the suggestion, writing: “New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed.”
The origins of New Mexico's name predate the United States. Mexicans used the name for territory north and west of the Rio Grande in the 16th Century, while Article 1 of the state Constitution formally declares: “The name of this state is New Mexico, and its boundaries are as follows,” the NYT reported.
Trump has previously sought to put an American stamp on geographic names.
On returning to office last year, he ordered the federal government to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. NYT reports he later said the name “has a beautiful ring”.
Trump also signed an executive order in August renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada.
Those orders applied to geographic features and federal usage through the Geographic Names Information System. They do not bind state or local governments, nor private mapmakers, according to NYT.
