Summary
- New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected the idea and said the state’s name was not open for debate.
- “New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate,” she said, adding that the state was focused on its own affairs while the White House was “coloring on maps.” Several Democratic lawmakers from New Mexico also criticized Trump’s proposal.
- Senator Ben Ray Luján also rejected the proposal, saying the state had always been known as New Mexico and would remain so.
US President Donald Trump has sparked criticism after suggesting that New Mexico should be renamed “New America.”
Trump made the proposal on Sunday, September 6, through a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
He also shared an AI-generated video showing a sign reading “Welcome to New Mexico, land of enchantment.” In the video, the word “Mexico” is replaced with “America.”
Trump then appears in the video performing his signature dance.
He described New Mexico as one of the states where he claimed there had been widespread election fraud. He said “New America” would be a more prestigious and beautiful name for the state.
Trump also shared an image of a map showing “Mexico” crossed out in red and replaced with “America.” The White House later reshared the image on X.
The proposal quickly drew criticism from New Mexico officials.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rejected the idea and said the state’s name was not open for debate.
She accused Trump of using the issue to divert public attention from other problems, including the war in Iran and rising fuel prices.
“New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate,” she said, adding that the state was focused on its own affairs while the White House was “coloring on maps.”
Several Democratic lawmakers from New Mexico also criticized Trump’s proposal.
Senator Martin Heinrich said he would continue to use the names Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario and New Mexico.
Senator Ben Ray Luján also rejected the proposal, saying the state had always been known as New Mexico and would remain so.
Representative Melanie Stansbury said the state’s name represented generations of history, culture and family.
The latest controversy comes after Trump has already pushed for other geographic renamings.
In January 2025, shortly after returning to office, Trump signed an executive order directing the use of “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” in US federal usage.
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