Trump wants New Mexico to be renamed ‘New America’, after ‘Lake America’ fiasco
Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America' for federal use early in his second term
US President Donald Trump has appeared to suggest renaming New Mexico “New America”, days after signing an executive order changing the US federal name for Lake Ontario.
Trump posted a map of New Mexico on Truth Social on Sunday showing the word “Mexico” crossed out in red and replaced with “America”.
The White House later reposted the image on its verified X account.
Neither Trump nor the White House explained the post or announced a formal proposal to change the state’s name, Fox News Digital reported.
The post follows Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” for US federal use amid heightened trade tensions between the United States and Canada.
Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” for federal use early in his second term.
However, a US president cannot unilaterally rename a state through executive action. No formal process to change New Mexico’s name has been announced.
The name New Mexico predates US statehood by centuries. Spanish explorers used “Nuevo México” as early as the late 1500s.
The territory retained its name after becoming part of the United States in 1848 and officially became a state in 1912.
