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US President Donald Trump has reiterated his call for the state of New Mexico to be renamed "New America".
In a social media post, Trump argued that changing the name would bring immediate prestige and increase property values across the state.
He added that the state should cut nominal ties with Mexico, insisting the region belongs exclusively to the United States.
New Mexico’s name dates back hundreds of years, long before the United States even existed. It carries generations of history, culture, and rich traditions that continue to shape who we are. We are New Mexicans. We’re proud of our name, proud of our home, and we’re keeping both. Long after Donald Trump is out of office, we’ll still be New Mexico.
— Senator Ben Ray Luján (@SenatorLujan) October 19, 2026
Experts say that although Trump can use executive authority to rename geographic features like bodies of water, altering state names requires legislative action by both the state itself and Congress.
New Mexico lawmakers quickly dismissed the proposal, with Republican congressional candidate Greg Cunningham confirming during a televised debate that such a change is legislatively impossible.
On Monday afternoon, New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján quickly spoke out against Trump's demands.
"New Mexico's name dates back hundreds of years, long before the United States even existed. It carries generations of history, culture and rich traditions that continue to shape who we are," he wrote on X.
"We are New Mexicans. We're proud of our name, proud of our home and we're keeping both. Long after Donald Trump is out of office, we'll still be New Mexico," he added.
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