Trump calls for New Mexico to be renamed “New America,” but he cannot legally change a state’s name
President Donald Trump has renewed his call for New Mexico to change its name to “New America.” New Mexico’s governor, senators and a Republican gubernatorial candidate have rejected the proposal, which experts say the president has no constitutional power to impose.
OPINION & VOICES
President Donald Trump has called on New Mexico to change its name to “New America,” renewing a proposal he first floated in September and intensifying a broader push to rename geographic places and landmarks. In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump wrote: “New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!”
Trump made the comments shortly before leaving the White House for a midterm election rally in Kansas. He claimed, without providing evidence, that a name change would raise home values and incomes in New Mexico, adding that it could make the state’s elections “honest again.” He also repeated his unsubstantiated claims that New Mexico is known for “Crooked Elections.”
The president said the new name would add “value and prestige” to the state. His post came amid growing Republican concern about retaining congressional majorities in November’s midterm elections, with polling cited in reporting indicating that voters believe Trump is not paying enough attention to the country’s most pressing problems.
Trump’s demand is not legally enforceable. While a president can direct changes to the names of geographic features in the federal Geographic Names Information System, he does not have the constitutional authority to rename a US state. Any such change would need to be carried out through a process within New Mexico itself.
New Mexico’s name predates the founding of the United States, dating back to the 16th century, according to a Bureau of Indian Affairs fact sheet on the origins of state names.
The proposal immediately drew sharp pushback from New Mexico’s Democratic leadership. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham dismissed Trump’s remarks on X, writing: “This tired New America bit again?” She added: “You have to ask — what policy failure is Trump trying to distract Americans from this time?”
Lujan Grisham said New Mexico existed under its current name long before the United States was founded and would remain New Mexico “forevermore.” She also highlighted the state’s universal, no-cost childcare programme, its replacement of health care subsidies that she said were cut by Trump and congressional Republicans, and independent assessments describing New Mexico’s elections as among the most secure in the country. She ended her response with: “¡Viva Nuevo Mexico!”
Democratic Senator Ben Ray Luján also rejected the proposed renaming. “New Mexico’s name dates back hundreds of years, long before the United States even existed,” he wrote on X. “It carries generations of history, culture, and rich traditions that continue to shape who we are.”
Luján added: “We are New Mexicans. We’re proud of our name, proud of our home, and we’re keeping both. Long after Donald Trump is out of office, we’ll still be New Mexico.”
Opposition was not limited to Democrats. Gregg Hull, the Republican candidate for governor of New Mexico, said he stood by his earlier position that “New Mexico does not need a new name.” In a post on X, Hull said the state’s identity is rooted in its culture, landscape and the resilience of its people, adding: “That identity is never up for negotiation. EVER.”
Hull said New Mexicans are focused instead on good-paying jobs, taxes, an economy that works for families, energy independence and relief from rising costs. “That is where my focus is, and that is what the campaign is about,” he said.
When asked about Hull’s response, the White House referred reporters to Trump’s own comments.
Trump first promoted the “New America” idea in September, when he posted a map of New Mexico with the word “Mexico” crossed out and “America” written underneath. The White House’s X account reposted the image. At the time, he also shared AI-generated images and videos depicting the state being rebranded, including one showing him changing a “Welcome to New Mexico”
The latest comments fit a pattern of renaming initiatives during Trump’s presidency. Last year, he took executive action to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” In August, he signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid his trade dispute with Canada. He has also repeatedly suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as the “Trump Strait.”
The proposal has also attracted public mockery online. Mapping company MapQuest responded on X: “Hey, boo. @NewMexico.”
An Albuquerque Journal opinion article last month criticised the idea as simplistic, with journalist Ryan Boetel writing that the proposal was “so elementary and such low-hanging fruit” that the only surprise was how long it took Trump to make it. He advised readers not to “waste your breath” responding to it.
Trump lost New Mexico by about six percentage points to Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. His renewed renaming call comes as his party faces a difficult midterm environment and as affordability, jobs, immigration and other policy concerns remain prominent for voters.
All rights belong to their respective owners. This article contains references and insights based on publicly available information and sources. We do not claim ownership over any third party content mentioned.
DAILY WA © 2026
Daily WA Online is an independent news and media platform covering Western Australia. We publish local stories, business insights, lifestyle features, and community voices for the digital era.
