New Mexico Governor Fires Back at Donald Trump for his idea to Rename New Mexico to New America: “Even If He Thinks He’s a King or Dictator, He Must Be a Clown to Think He Can Rename Our State”

New Mexico Governor Fires Back at Trump Over ‘New America’ Proposal

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has pushed back sharply against President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the state could be renamed “New America,” making clear that she has no intention of allowing the state’s historic name to become a political bargaining chip.

Trump sparked controversy over the Labor Day weekend after posting images and maps on social media showing “New Mexico” replaced with “New America.” He also shared an apparently AI-generated video depicting the name being changed on a “Welcome to New Mexico” sign. ()

Trump said he had received suggestions to change the state’s name and praised the idea as something he believed would be “more prestigious and beautiful” for New Mexico. ()

The proposal was swiftly rejected by Gov. Lujan Grisham.

“New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” the governor said in a social-media response. She redirected the conversation toward issues she said were affecting New Mexico families, including healthcare, housing, grocery costs and rising gas prices. (

The governor’s response underscores a much larger constitutional obstacle facing any attempt to actually change the state’s name: Trump does not have the legal authority to unilaterally rename a state.

New Mexico’s name is written directly into the state’s Constitution. Any genuine effort to change it would therefore have to go through the state’s own constitutional process rather than being accomplished through a presidential executive order. ()

The distinction is significant because Trump’s administration has previously pursued changes to the names of geographic features, including the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario. Those actions involve federal naming and usage, whereas changing the legal name of an entire state is fundamentally different. )

New Mexico lawmakers also joined the backlash.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury responded bluntly to Trump’s proposal, while the state’s Democratic senators defended the existing name and its historical significance.

The controversy also carries historical significance. The name “New Mexico” predates the United States itself, with roots reaching back to the Spanish colonial period. The state’s Constitution explicitly identifies it as New Mexico.

For now, Trump’s proposal remains a political suggestion rather than an official legal renaming effort. But the reaction from New Mexico’s leadership makes one thing clear: any attempt to turn “New America” into the state’s official name would face formidable political, constitutional and legal resistance.

For Gov. Lujan Grisham, the message is straightforward: New Mexico is not for sale, and its name is not up for debate.