- Governor Grisham kicks
US President, Donald Trump, has suggested renaming the State of New Mexico as “New America”, a proposal swiftly rejected by the State’s Democratic Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Trump made the suggestion on Sunday in a post on his social media platform, saying he had received recommendations that the state should be given a new name.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” Trump wrote, describing the proposed name as “more prestigious and beautiful” for the state.
US media reports said the suggestion originated from an internet hoax before gaining wider attention after Trump promoted it.
Reacting to the proposal, Lujan Grisham told Fox News that the state’s name was not open for discussion.
“The name isn’t up for debate, it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” she said.
The governor also accused Trump of attempting to divert public attention from more pressing issues, including rising petrol prices.
Trump’s latest proposal comes amid a series of controversial moves and suggestions by his administration involving the renaming of prominent geographical features.
Last week, Trump suggested that the Strait of Hormuz be renamed the “Trump Strait” amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, although he later appeared to indicate that he was not being serious about the proposal.
In 2025, shortly after returning to the White House, Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America”, a move rejected by Mexico.
His administration has also promoted the use of “Lake America” for Lake Ontario, a proposal similarly rejected by Canada.
The New Mexico proposal has since triggered fresh debate over Trump’s approach to geographical names and his efforts to promote the use of “America” in place of established names.