US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the state of New Mexico “New America,” adding a new proposal to his series of controversial initiatives involving geographic names in the United States.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that “a lot of people” had suggested changing the state’s name. He described “New America” as a more prestigious and attractive name before enthusiastically expressing his support for the idea.

The post was accompanied by an image of a map of New Mexico in which the word “Mexico” was crossed out and replaced with “America.” The White House subsequently shared the image on its own social media accounts.

Immediate opposition from New Mexico’s governor

The proposal was quickly rejected by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The Democratic governor dismissed the idea of changing the state’s name, emphasizing its historical significance and longstanding use. She also accused Trump of attempting to divert public attention from more pressing issues facing Americans, including rising gasoline prices.

No formal procedure to change New Mexico’s name has been announced by the White House. Trump’s statement therefore appears, at this stage, to be a political suggestion rather than the announcement of an official administrative process.

Another proposal to change geographic names

Trump’s latest comments come amid a broader campaign by the US president to promote changes to the names of several geographic landmarks.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has pushed for the use of “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” in US official communications. His administration has also promoted the use of “Lake America” for Lake Ontario in certain US communications.

Trump has also floated other possible name changes, making geographic naming a recurring feature of his political messaging and public statements.

A name with centuries of history

The name New Mexico has a history dating back centuries, long before the creation of the United States. The Spanish name “Nuevo México” was used as early as the 16th century to refer to territories north of New Spain.

The territory later became part of the United States and was admitted to the Union in 1912, becoming the country’s 47th state.

Trump’s proposal has therefore reopened questions surrounding history, identity and the political symbolism attached to geographic names in the United States.