Donald Trump's Bid to Rebrand New Mexico to 'New America' Swiftly Rejected by Governor — Name 'Isn't Up for Debate'
Donald Trump has suggested 'New Mexico' should be changed to 'New America' during late night post on Truth Social.
Sept. 7 2026, Published 6:22 a.m. ET
Donald Trump's bid to rebrand New Mexico to "New America" has been swiftly rejected by the state's Governor.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the president took to Truth Social on Sunday to promote his name change suggestion.
Trump 'Loves' Name Change Idea
The president said his name suggestion made the state sound more 'prestigious.'
He wrote: "Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA.
"So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!"
The White House later amplified the proposal by reposting an image of New Mexico with "Mexico" crossed out and replaced with “America”.
The idea reportedly originated from an internet hoax picked up by Trump before he began endorsing it.
However, the name-change proposal has not gone down well with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham who swiftly rejected the idea.
'It’s Been Ours Since Before The United States Existed'
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham slammed the name change proposal.
She responded on X saying the state's name was not open to negotiation, saying: "The name isn’t up for debate it’s been ours since before the United States existed."
She then defended the state’s policies, adding that "while the President tries to distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran, the price of gas, and everything else, keeps rising. Under Democratic leadership here in New Mexico, we’re providing families with free childcare and college, protecting access to health care and investing in housing.
"While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work."
Form For Geographical Rebranding
The Commander-in-Chief recently proposed changing Lake Ontario to 'Lake America.'
Trump’s proposal comes as his administration has pursued several geographic naming changes.
In January 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to use "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." He later designated February 9, 2025, as the first "Gulf of America Day."
Trump last month also signed an executive order directing the federal government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” The order instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, working with the Board on Geographic Names, to update the federal Geographic Names Information System within 30 days.
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Trump also teased the Atlantic and Pacific oceans could eventually be renamed.
Under the order, federal maps, contracts, documents and agency communications are to use "Lake America" and remove references to "Lake Ontario."
The change applies to federal use in the United States and does not determine what Canada calls the lake. Lake Ontario borders both Canada and New York.
While announcing the Lake Ontario order, Trump also suggested that the Atlantic and Pacific oceans could eventually be renamed. "As you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico, we changed it, and now it's very routinely the Gulf of America," Trump said.
"So if you think about it, we have a gulf and we have a lake. Now all we need is an ocean," he continued. "So maybe we'll have to change the name of the Atlantic and or the Pacific. Maybe we'll change them both."
