Trump Shares Map Renaming New Mexico as 'New America,' Days After ‘Trump Strait’ and ‘Lake America’ Uproar

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President Donald Trump boarding Air Force One ahead of his travels to New Jersey for the Labor Day weekend in Maryland, United States, on Sep. 4, 2026

President Donald Trump appeared to float the idea of renaming New Mexico as “New America,” sharing several maps of the state that listed the new moniker. The images posted Monday, without context or comment, came a day after Trump uploaded an initial "New America" map via social media—an item that was later reshared by the official White House account.

Trump also posted an AI-generated video of himself slapping “America” over a road sign that had previously read “Welcome to New Mexico” and claimed that “many people” had suggested the name change. The White House has not announced any effort to rename New Mexico. TIME has reached out for comment.

The rhetoric has prompted backlash from Democratic lawmakers representing the state. “New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate—it’s been ours since before the United States existed,” said the state’s Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work.”

Lujan Grisham suggested that Trump’s renaming jibes were an attempt to “distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran,” as well as the rising price of gas and other consumer goods.

“You can’t be serious. New Mexico is not for renaming. Not up for sale,” said former Secretary of the Interior and candidate for state Governor Deb Haaland. “My promise: I’ll always stand up for what makes New Mexico, New Mexico.”

Sen. Ben Ray Luján offered a similar rebuttal, insisting “it’s New Mexico, always has been and always will be” as he referred to Trump as “corrupt.”

Elsewhere, some Trump allies came out in support of the floated name change. “New America? Kind of catchy,” argued Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah.

The President’s social media rhetoric regarding New Mexico comes days after he floated renaming the vital trade passage the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait.”

It also follows Trump signing an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on Aug. 27, amid a widening trade war with Canada. The change was met with widespread disapproval from both U.S. lawmakers and Canadian politicians, who vowed Lake Ontario will continue to be called by that name.