President Donald Trump suggested renaming New Mexico to “New America” after posting an AI‑generated video on Truth Social in which he slaps the label “America” onto a border sign and then dances to the Village People’s “YMCA.” He followed the video with a series of AI‑generated images that replaced the state’s name on maps. Trump claimed that many people had suggested the change, describing New Mexico as a “great vote‑cheating state” that would be more prestigious under the new name.
The proposal was met with swift criticism from state officials. Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham posted on X that the state’s name is “not up for debate” and that it predates the United States. She emphasized the historical significance of the name.
Other lawmakers also rejected the idea. Senator Ben Ray Lujan, also a Democrat, responded directly to Trump on X, asserting that the state will always be New Mexico and calling the president a “sinvergüenza.” Representative Melanie Stansbury echoed the sentiment, tweeting “Oh hell no!” and stressing that the name embodies generations of history, culture, and family.
Even the GOP gubernatorial nominee, former mayor Gregg Hull, joined the opposition, telling the Albuquerque Journal that the state “does not need a new name.” He highlighted the legacy of Native nations, Spanish explorers, and families that shaped New Mexico. Trump’s suggestion follows earlier executive orders that renamed the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, although he has no authority to rename a state.
