Trump Proposes Renaming New Mexico as 'New America'

<p>The White House on Sunday shared President Donald Trump's suggestion to rename New Mexico as "New America," reposting an image from Trump's Truth Social account that displayed the state's name crossed out and replaced with "America."</p><p>Trump's original post included a map of New Mexico with the word "Mexico" crossed out in red and replaced with "America," effectively renaming it "New America."</p><p>The White House later posted the image on its verified X account. Neither post provided an explanation or indicated whether this suggestion was part of an actual policy proposal.</p><p>This announcement follows Trump's recent executive order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for federal use, which was signed amid ongoing tariff disputes between the U.S. and Canada.</p><p>Trump instructed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the department to update the Geographic Names Information System to reflect the name change. Following this, Google and Apple updated their maps for U.S. users to show the new name.</p><p>Trump also signed an executive order early in his second term to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."</p><p>It is important to note that while geographic features can be renamed through executive action, a president cannot unilaterally rename a U.S. state. As of now, Trump and the White House have not announced any formal effort to change New Mexico's name.</p><p>The name "New Mexico" has historical roots, dating back to the late 1500s when Spanish explorers referred to the area as "Nuevo México." The territory retained this name after becoming part of the United States in 1848 and later achieved statehood on January 6, 1912.</p><p>The White House and the Office of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>