US President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested changing the name of the state of New Mexico to “New America,” a proposal immediately rejected by the state’s governor.
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The suggestion came days after Trump signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” amid an ongoing trade dispute with neighboring Canada.
The Republican president wrote on social media that “many have suggested changing the name of New Mexico ... to New America,” adding that it was “a more sophisticated and beautiful name for the residents of that state, which has enormous potential. I love the name.”
The White House reposted an image showing the word “Mexico” crossed out from the state’s name and replaced with “America.”
Some US media reports indicated that the idea originally began as an online joke.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham told Fox News that the name “is not up for discussion. It has been our name since before the United States itself existed.”
She added that the president wanted to “distract Americans” from issues such as the sharp rise in fuel prices.
Trump also suggested last week renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait” amid continued tensions with Iran, but appeared to back away from the idea hours later, indicating that he was not serious about the plan.
Trump also changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” on his first day back in the White House in 2025, a move rejected by Mexico.
Canada has also rejected the proposed renaming of Lake Ontario.
Source: Agencies
