 |
US President Donald Trump... credit: PUNCHNG |
Trump made the suggestion in a social media post on Sunday, saying that several people had proposed changing the state’s name. He described “New America” as a more prestigious and beautiful name for the state.
The White House also shared an image showing the word “Mexico” in New Mexico crossed out and replaced with “America.”
However, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham dismissed the proposal, saying the state’s name was not open for debate.
Lujan Grisham told Fox News that New Mexico had been known by its name since before the United States existed. She also accused Trump of attempting to distract Americans from other issues, including rising fuel prices.
The suggestion comes shortly after Trump proposed another name change involving a major body of water. He signed an order seeking to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” a move that has faced opposition from Canada.
Trump has also previously proposed changing the name of the Strait of Hormuz to “Trump Strait” amid the continuing conflict involving Iran, although he later suggested that the proposal was not necessarily serious.
The president renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” shortly after returning to the White House in 2025. Mexico rejected the change, while the naming has also generated international controversy.
Some US media reports have suggested that the idea of renaming New Mexico may have originated from an internet hoax before Trump amplified it.
New Mexico, which became part of the United States in 1912, shares a border with Mexico and has retained its historic name despite the latest proposal from the US president.
The latest suggestion has added to a series of naming controversies involving Trump, who has repeatedly promoted changes to geographic names as part of his administration’s broader political messaging.
Disclaimer: Comments and opinions on any part of this website are the opinions of blog commenters or anonymous individuals, and do not reflect Strenuous Blog position.