Trump wants to rename New Mexico “New America”. Here are other places he has focused on in his second term as US President | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has added an unusual new item to his list of proposed name changes: New Mexico.
Trump suggested on Sunday that the US state could rename itself the “New America” and shared a map that crossed out the word “Mexico” and replaced it with “America”. The proposal was quickly rejected by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
“Many people have suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” Trump wrote on social media. “So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of this potentially incredible state. Wow, I love it!!!”
The White House also re-released the revised map.
Lujan Grisham dismissed the idea, saying the state’s name “is not up for debate—it’s been ours since before the United States existed.”
The proposal comes amid a broader pattern of name changes and proposals by Trump during his second term, AFP reported.
Read also | Trump proposes renaming New Mexico “New America” amid push for rechristening
The Gulf of Mexico becomes the Gulf of America
One of Trump’s most notable naming moves came soon after he returned to the White House in January 2025.
He ordered that the Gulf of Mexico be referred to as the “Gulf of America” in US government usage. Mexico rejected the change, while the name continues to be known internationally as the Gulf of Mexico.
The move reflected Trump’s broader emphasis on American sovereignty and national identity.
Lake Ontario Becomes ‘America’s Lake’
Trump’s latest formal renaming concerns Lake Ontario.
On August 27, he signed an executive order ordering the US government to rename the body of water “Lake America” and directing the Department of the Interior and the American Board on Geographic Names to update federal references.
The lake borders the United States and Canada, which means the change has also become a diplomatic matter.
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Map services began to reflect the change differently depending on the user’s location. For example, Apple Maps shows “Lake America” to US users, while Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario”; international users can see both names.
Trump Strait: another proposal
Trump has also proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Strait of Trump” amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
He later appeared to indicate that the proposal was not necessarily a serious plan, thereby differentiating its status from formal executive action regarding Lake Ontario.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy bottleneck, so any attempt to change its internationally recognized name is particularly sensitive.
And now, “The New America”
Trump’s latest proposal differs from federal geographic naming changes because New Mexico is a U.S. state and its official name cannot simply be changed via a presidential social media post.
The state governor has already rejected the idea.
Some US media reports also said the proposal may have originated as an internet hoax before Trump circulated it.
So for now, “New America” remains more of a suggestion than an official name change.
Trump’s recent moves show that geographic names have become part of his broader policy message, but the legal and international implications vary greatly depending on what is being renamed and which authority controls the name.
