President Trump posted a map on Truth Social on Sunday suggesting New Mexico be renamed “New America,” a proposal that New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham swiftly rejected, saying the state’s name “isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed.”
The map, which the president shared to Truth Social and the White House later reposted on X, featured a large “X” over “Mexico” in the state’s name with “America” displayed below it. Trump wrote that “many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great vote cheating states of all time, to NEW AMERICA” and called the potential rebrand “so much more prestigious and beautiful.”
Lujan Grisham responded on X, stating that New Mexico’s name was not open to negotiation. “What is up for debate? Who’s showing up for working families,” she wrote, pivoting to criticism of the Trump administration’s focus on what she characterized as distractions from policy challenges. She added: “While the President tries to distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran, gas prices keep soaring.”
Trump cannot unilaterally rename a U.S. state. A president has the constitutional authority to rename federal geographic features—such as bodies of water and national landmarks—through executive order, but state names fall under state jurisdiction and would require congressional action. As one news outlet explained, “Unlike geographic features that can be renamed for federal use through executive action, a president cannot unilaterally rename a U.S. state.”
The New Mexico proposal follows Trump’s recent renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” via executive order signed on August 27, 2026. That move, made amid trade tensions with Canada, also drew swift opposition. According to polling from early September, 63% of Americans opposed the Lake Ontario rename. The Lake America order directed federal agencies to use the new name in all official communications and maps.
Democratic officials in New Mexico rallied around their state’s name. Rep. Melanie Stansbury stated: “New Mexico’s name is not up for debate. It has been here since long before the United States was even an idea.” Former Interior Secretary and gubernatorial candidate Tom Udall told Fox News, “New Mexico is not for renaming. Not up for sale,” signaling bipartisan resistance to the idea.
The name “New Mexico” dates back centuries, predating U.S. statehood by hundreds of years. The state was admitted to the union in 1912 under that name, which reflects its Spanish colonial heritage.
Sources
- The Hill — Gov. Lujan Grisham’s statement and reaction to Trump’s post
- Washington Post — Trump’s authority limitations regarding state renaming
- NBC News — Democratic pushback on the proposal
- CNN — Trump’s initial social media posts and map imagery
- PBS NewsHour — Lake Ontario rename precedent and executive order details
- BBC News — Lake America executive order signed August 27, 2026
- 12 News — Presidential power and constitutional limitations on state renaming
