After a lake, a strait and a bay, Donald Trump has proposed renaming an American state, namely New Mexico to become “New America“ - a move that is largely perceived as an attempt to divert attention from unpopular topics, reported Agence France-Presse.
“Many people have suggested that we change the name of New Mexico (...) to NEW AMERICA“, the Republican president wrote on his social network Truth Social. “This is so much more prestigious and beautiful for the residents of this state, which has incredible potential. Wow, I love it!!!“, he added.
His proposal, which was immediately was rejected by the state's governor, comes a few days after Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario (in the northeastern United States) Lake "America" amid a trade war with neighboring Canada.
The White House republished an image from Donald Trump's Twitter account, in which the "Mexico" part of the state's name has been crossed out and replaced with "America".
According to American media, the idea originated as an internet joke.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham, a Democrat, told Fox News that the name "is not up for debate; it's been ours since long before the United States was founded". She added that the president is trying to "distract Americans" from issues such as the sharp rise in the price of gasoline.
Last week, Donald Trump proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait“.
In January 2025, at the very beginning of his second term, he also unilaterally renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America“ - a decision disputed by Mexico.
Canada also rejected the initiative to rename Lake Ontario, which is located on the border between the two countries.
The president's obsession with names is seen by observers and critics as an attempt to divert attention. Donald Trump's approval rating is at its lowest level, and his political formation - the Republican Party - fears a heavy defeat in November in the elections that will determine control of Congress, which has so far had a conservative majority, notes Agence France-Presse.