US President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh debate over place names after proposing that the state of New Mexico be renamed “New America”.
Trump made the suggestion on Sunday in a social media post, claiming that people had proposed replacing “New Mexico” with a name he considered more prestigious.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” Trump wrote. “So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!”
The White House subsequently amplified the proposal by sharing an image of the state’s name with “Mexico” crossed out and replaced by “America”.
The suggestion was swiftly rejected by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who said the state’s name was not open to discussion.
Speaking to Fox News, Lujan Grisham said the name had existed before the United States itself and dismissed the proposal as an attempt to divert public attention from more pressing concerns, including rising fuel prices.
“It’s not up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” she said.
The latest proposal is part of a series of name-changing ideas advanced by Trump since returning to the White House.
Some US media reports have suggested that the New Mexico proposal originated as an internet hoax before Trump amplified it.
Trump recently floated the possibility of renaming the Strait of Hormuz “Trump Strait” amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, although he later appeared to back away from the idea.
He has also pursued changes to other geographic names.
On his first day back in office in 2025, Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to by the US government as the “Gulf of America”, a move that Mexico rejected.
His administration has also sought to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America”, drawing opposition from Canada.
The proposed renaming of New Mexico has similarly met resistance from state authorities, leaving the state’s longstanding name unchanged.
AFP
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