President Donald Trump renewed a contentious branding push on Monday, calling for the state of New Mexico to rename itself “New America.”
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Oct. 19, Trump asserted that the change would bring economic and civic advantages to the state. “New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America,” Trump wrote, adding, “We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” The president went on to argue that the rebrand would raise incomes and home values, foster patriotism, and lead to more honest elections, Fox News and Rolling Stone reported.
Trump offered no evidence to substantiate his allegations about election fraud in the state, nor did he provide economic data showing how altering the state’s name would increase property values or household earnings, according to Fox News.
State Leaders Reject Rebranding Push
State officials quickly rejected the proposal, emphasizing that New Mexico’s identity predates the founding of the nation. New Mexico’s state constitution expressly establishes the name in Article I, declaring, “The name of this state is New Mexico,” Fox News reported.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, firmly dismissed the suggestion. “New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate – it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” Lujan Grisham said, arguing that the White House was focusing on cosmetic distractions instead of pressing issues such as education, health care, housing and international conflict.
Other federal lawmakers representing the state echoed her stance. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., wrote that the state’s name reflects “generations of history, culture, and family,” adding, “We’re New Mexicans. Period,” Radar Online reported. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., also rejected the proposal.
Pattern of Renaming Geographic Landmarks
Monday’s demand is part of an ongoing pattern by Trump to push for American-centric name changes on North American geography. In September, Trump addressed the concept during remarks at an RNC event, claiming without detail that residents supported the idea, Fox News reported. Around the same time, he shared an altered map showing “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America,” a post later amplified by official White House channels.
The push follows similar executive directives targeting major bodies of water bordering neighboring nations. Trump previously ordered federal use of the term “Gulf of America” in place of the Gulf of Mexico, prompting navigation services including Apple Maps and Google Maps to display the new designation for American users, Radar Online reported. Trump also pressed for Lake Ontario, which borders Canada, to be renamed “Lake America” amid cross-border trade tensions.
Trump’s statement on Monday did not specify any formal federal process or legal mechanism to compel a sovereign state to alter its name. Whether the administration plans to pursue official executive action or take steps through federal agencies to recognize the alternate label remains unknown.
