Trump’s ‘New America’ Gag Stirs Up a Storm in the Land of Enchantment

On Sunday, former President Donald Trump shared a graphic that crossed out the word “Mexico” on a map of New Mexico and slapped the name “America” in its place. He followed it up with an AI‑generated video of himself sticking a sticker that reads “America” over a welcome sign, captioning the stunt with a call to make the state “New America.”

The post, which the White House later reposted on X, was meant as a punch‑line, but it landed like a misfired joke in a room full of people who actually care about the state’s heritage. New Mexico’s own Albuquerque Journal called the whole thing “elementary” and “low‑hanging fruit,” essentially saying the former president was trying to get a rise out of a community that has far bigger concerns.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham didn’t waste any time. On Instagram she wrote that New Mexico’s name “has been ours since before the United States existed” and pointed out that the state is busy delivering free childcare, college tuition, health‑care access and housing, while the White House is busy “coloring on maps.”

Democratic leaders echoed that sentiment. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland tweeted, “You can’t be serious. New Mexico is not for renaming. Not up for sale.” Representative Melanie Stansbury added, “Our state’s name carries generations of history, culture, and family—and it belongs to us. We’re New Mexicans. Period.” Even Senate colleague Martin Heinrich listed three things he’ll always call by their proper names: the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, and New Mexico.

Interestingly, the backlash wasn’t limited to Democrats. Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull, former mayor of Rio Rancho, said the name “is not up for negotiation,” stressing the centuries‑old ties to Native nations and Spanish explorers. State Senate Republican minority whip Pat Woods agreed, noting that while he supports many of Trump’s hard‑line policies, the idea of erasing New Mexico’s name “just doesn’t sit right.”

The Albuquerque Journal’s op‑ed, penned by journalist Ryan Boetel, was perhaps the sharpest. He described the proposal as “so elementary” that it was surprising it took Trump this long to think of it. Boetel urged New Mexicans not to feed the drama, suggesting that ignoring the stunt would make it look “hilarious” instead of a political flashpoint.

Legally, Trump can’t rename a state. The U.S. Constitution gives that power to the people of the state through a ballot initiative or a vote by the legislature—not a former president’s Twitter feed. Still, the episode highlights a pattern: since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has been issuing symbolic rebrandings of geographic features, from the “Gulf of America” to “Lake America.”

For New Mexicans, the name is more than a label—it’s a reminder of a rich tapestry woven by Indigenous peoples, Spanish settlers, and later American pioneers. The brief, meme‑driven proposal may have been intended as a laugh, but it reminded the state’s residents just how fiercely they guard their identity.