Does Trump have the authority to change the name of the state of New Mexico?

U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the state of New Mexico to "New America." This is the latest instance of his efforts to alter geographical names in line with his political agenda. However, there is ongoing debate over whether Trump actually possesses the authority to change the name of a state.

He made this proposal in a post on Truth Social on Monday (October 19), ahead of a campaign rally in Kansas.

In the post, Trump wrote, "New Mexico should immediately change its name to 'New America.' We are not Mexico; we are the United States."

Trump lost New Mexico by a margin of 6 percentage points in the 2024 election. His remarks come at a time when Republicans are anxious about maintaining their congressional majority in the upcoming midterm elections.

According to public opinion polls, voters feel that the President is not paying sufficient attention to the country's most pressing issues.

Without providing any evidence, Trump claimed that such a name change would "increase home values ​​and incomes." He also reiterated his baseless allegations regarding election fraud, adding, "Perhaps the rigged elections that New Mexico is known for might finally become fair again!"

Trump has suggested renaming New Mexico before, though not with as much emphasis. In September, he shared a map of the state on social media in which the word "Mexico" was crossed out and replaced with "America"—an image that was also reposted by the White House's X (formerly Twitter) account.

This is the latest in a series of renaming initiatives by Trump. As part of an ongoing trade dispute with Canada, he signed an executive order in August to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Similarly, last year, he took steps to rename the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America." Additionally, he has proposed renaming the ‘Strait of Hormuz’ to the ‘Trump Strait.’

While Trump may have the authority to change the names of certain geographical features—such as bodies of water—that fall under the ‘Geographic Names Information System,’ he lacks the constitutional power to legally change the name of a U.S. state. Any such change would have to originate from within the state itself.

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the name ‘New Mexico’ has been in use since the 16th century—long before the founding of the United States. On Monday evening, New Mexico’s Democratic Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, dismissed Trump’s remarks.

In a post on X, she wrote: “Let me be clear: New Mexico was ‘New Mexico’ long before the United States existed, and it will always be ‘New Mexico.’”

New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján wrote on social media that the state’s name is tied to generations of history, culture, and a rich heritage—elements that continue to shape the state’s identity today.

He added, “We are New Mexicans. We are proud of our name and proud of our home—and we are keeping both. Long after Donald Trump has left office, we will still be New Mexico.”

Source: CNN