Trump suggests renaming New Mexico 'New America' — SkimNews
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- Donald Trump posted on social media on September 6, 2026, proposing that New Mexico be renamed "New America," writing that it would be "so much more prestigious and beautiful."
- New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham dismissed the idea on Fox News, stating the state's name "isn't up for debate — it's been ours since before the United States existed."
- Grisham accused Trump of wanting to "distract Americans" from pressing issues including soaring gas prices.
- Some U.S. media reports indicated the renaming idea originated as an internet hoax before Trump amplified it.
- The proposal came days after Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America" during an ongoing trade war with neighboring Canada.
- Trump previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on his first day back in the White House in 2025 — a move Mexico rejected.
- Canada has also rejected the attempt to rename Lake Ontario.
- Trump last week floated renaming the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait" amid the war with Iran, then implied hours later he was not serious about it.
Why it matters: Grisham's defiance — paired with the prior rejection by both Canada and Mexico of Trump's previous geographic renamings — establishes a pattern where presidential rebranding meets zero traction abroad or at the state level, while Grisham's accusation redirects attention to domestic economic pain points like gas prices.
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