Trump’s name game
Following his renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America”, Trump pushes to call New Mexico “New America” to continue his naming campaign, testing the boundary between political messaging and executive authority. | Today’s Political Cartoon.
🔍 WHY THIS STORY MATTERS
Trump’s naming push tests the boundary between political messaging and executive power, while showing how official US terminology can diverge from international usage and affect maps, diplomacy and public understanding.
KEY TAKEAWAYS...
● Trump has suggested renaming New Mexico “New America”.
● He shared an AI-generated video and maps depicting the proposed change.
● The proposal follows US federal adoption of “Gulf of America” and “Lake America”.
● However, a US president cannot unilaterally change the formal name of a state.
D onald Trump has suggested renaming the US state of New Mexico as “New America”, extending a series of geographical name changes promoted during his second presidency.
In posts on Truth Social on Sunday, the US president shared an AI-generated video and a map in which “Mexico” was crossed out and replaced with “America”. He returned to the idea on Monday with several more maps using the proposed name. The White House also amplified one of the images.
The proposal follows Trump’s decision last year to direct federal agencies to use “Gulf of America” instead of Gulf of Mexico, and an executive order last month directing US federal use of “Lake America” for Lake Ontario.
The Lake Ontario change applies to US federal naming and has since appeared for American users of Google Maps and Apple Maps. Canada continues to use Lake Ontario, while Canadian leaders have rejected Trump’s terminology.
New Mexico, however, is different. The president does not have unilateral authority to change the formal name of a US state. Any such change would require action beyond a presidential order.
Trump’s posts therefore amount to a political proposal directed to his MAGA audience before the Midterms rather than an official renaming. New Mexico remains the state’s legal and recognised name.
🔮 WHAT MATTERS NEXT...
🎯 WHAT TO WATCH NEXT:
● Whether Trump continues promoting “New America” or moves beyond social-media posts.
● Whether federal agencies are instructed to use alternative terminology for New Mexico despite the state retaining its formal name.
● How New Mexico’s state government and congressional delegation respond if the proposal develops further.
● Whether major mapping platforms make any changes to how New Mexico is displayed for US users.
🎯 MOST LIKELY OUTCOME:
● New Mexico retains its formal name unless the proposal advances through the state and Congress, which would be required for an actual state-name change.
🎯 WHAT COULD CHANGE THE PICTURE:
● Trump could direct federal agencies to refer to the state by another name, creating a distinction between federal terminology and New Mexico’s legal name without formally renaming the state.
🎯 WHY THIS MATTERS:
● The episode illustrates the difference between a president’s power to shape federal terminology and the constitutional limits on changing the identity of a US state.
GOING FURTHER
Trump suggests renaming New Mexico amid torrent of online memes and taunts | The Washington Post
Trump signs executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America | The Guardian
Lake Ontario now called Lake America on Google Maps for US users after Trump ordered name change | Associated Press
Apple changes Lake Ontario name to 'Lake America' for US users of its Maps, following Trump's order | Associated Press
Canada erects giant 'Lake Ontario' sign as spat with Trump over name escalates | The Guardian
The White House says it's a 'fact' that the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed. Is that right? | Associated Press
Trump signs order to rename Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Denali | The Guardian
Sources:
▪ This piece was first published in Europeans TODAY on 8 September 2026.
