Trump's eye-catching name change post: Backlash ensues
Trump's post implying that New Mexico should be renamed "New America" has drawn backlash from the state government and Democratic senators.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked a new controversy with a social media post implying that the state of New Mexico should be renamed "New America." Trump's post drew reactions from the state government and Democratic politicians.
In an image shared on Trump's Truth Social account, which was later reposted on the White House's X account, the borders of the state of New Mexico were shown. In the image, the word "Mexico" was crossed out in red and replaced with the word "America." No explanation accompanied the post.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 6, 2026
No official initiative to change the state's name has been announced by the White House. In the U.S., the president has the authority to change the names of certain geographical features, such as bodies of water, within the Geographic Names Information System. However, such a change to state names is not a step the president can take unilaterally under the Constitution; the process must be carried out at the state level.
Trump has previously made headlines with similar moves regarding geographical names. After returning to office in January 2025, Trump changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," and at the end of last month, he changed the name of Lake Ontario in the system.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham responded to Trump's post on X. The Democratic governor stated, "New Mexico's name is not up for debate." Grisham further added, "While the President tries to distract Americans from the war in Iran, gas prices continue to rise. While the White House wastes time coloring over maps, Nuevo México continues to do its job."
Democratic Senatör Martin Heinrich was also among those who criticized the post. Heinrich stated, "There are three things I will always call by their real names: The Gulf of Mexico. Lake Ontario. New Mexico."
It was noted that Trump's Lake Ontario move coincided with a period of trade tensions with Canada. In his recent statements, Trump had also brought up the idea of changing the names of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.