Trump Gets Scathing Response to Wild State Name Change Demand
The governor of New Mexico has had it with Trump trying to rename the state “New America.”
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
New Mexico’s governor tore into President Donald Trump after he demanded the state rebrand itself as “New America.”
“This tired New American bit again? You have to ask — what policy failure is Trump trying to distract Americans from this time?” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham posted on X on Monday evening.
This tired New America bit again? 🙄 You have to ask — what policy failure is Trump trying to distract Americans from this time?
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) October 19, 2026
Let me repeat: New Mexico was New Mexico long before the United States existed and we’ll be New Mexico forevermore. And while we’re talking about our… pic.twitter.com/xR6TgkOjYl
“New Mexico was New Mexico long before the United States existed and we’ll be New Mexico forevermore,” she wrote.
The Democratic governor fired back Tuesday after Trump pitched a bizarre state rebrand on Truth Social, claiming a name change would boost residents’ wealth and patriotism.
ADVERTISEMENT
“New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “Home Values and Incomes would rise, and you would be even prouder while saluting our beautiful American Flag!”

Trump called on New Mexico to change its name to "New America" on Truth Social.
Donald J. Trump / Truth Social
Trump also took aim at the integrity of New Mexico’s elections, saying he could fix the “crooked” voting system “that New Mexico is known for.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Grisham responded, writing, “Independent experts say our elections are among the most secure in the nation. It’s just that Trump can’t seem to accept that voters are rewarding Democrats for policies that make life easier for working families.”
The 80-year-old lost the state in the past three elections.
Trump’s new name for New Mexico is the latest example of the president’s obsession with renaming things.
“He really likes naming things,” Arizona Senator Mark Kelly told TMZ earlier this month, referring to Trump’s idea to rename AI “super intelligence.” “You know Lake Ontario, Gulf of Mexico, I don’t know what’s next.”
Trump has notoriously tried to rename the Kennedy Center the Trump-Kennedy Center, but a federal judge has blocked his attempts, ruling that name changes require congressional approval.

One of six maps Trump shared, showing his preferred name for New Mexico.
Truth Social / Donald Trump
This isn’t the first time Trump has set his sights on New Mexico. In September, the president posted a map of New Mexico with “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America.”
Grisham responded at the time that “New Mexico’s name isn’t up for debate” and that Trump is just trying to distract Americans from his “disastrous war in Iran” and “soaring” gas prices.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.

ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…
ADVERTISEMENT