Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his proposal to rename the state of New Mexico as “New America,” suggesting that such a change would bolster national pride and potentially enhance property values and incomes. Trump made the suggestion in a social media post dated October 19, where he argued that the current name does not adequately represent the state’s identity as part of the United States.
In his post, Trump also raised concerns about the integrity of elections in New Mexico, alleging electoral misconduct without providing supporting evidence. This proposal is not new, as Trump had previously introduced the idea in September when he shared an altered map during his endorsement of a Republican congressional candidate, referring to the state as “New America.”
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has dismissed Trump’s proposal, emphasizing the historical significance of the state’s name and arguing that it should not be politicized. Governor Lujan Grisham stated that her administration is focused on pressing issues such as healthcare, housing, childcare, and educational access, rather than engaging in a debate over the state’s name.
Trump’s proposal is part of a broader pattern of geographical renaming initiatives that he has pursued, including the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and the restoration of Mount McKinley’s name for Alaska’s Denali. Despite these initiatives, there has been no official move to change the name of New Mexico.