Trump Gets Scathing Reply to Wild State Name Change Demand

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? 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 — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) October 19, 2026 “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.

“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 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.” 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.

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.

Read more at The Daily Beast.