Trump made the proposal on Sunday in a social media post, saying the alternative name would be more prestigious and attractive for the state.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” the president wrote. “So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!”
The White House also amplified the idea by sharing an image in which the word “Mexico” in the state’s name was crossed out and replaced with “America.”
The proposal was swiftly rejected by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who said the state’s name was not open for discussion.
Speaking to Fox News, Lujan Grisham maintained that New Mexico had retained its name long before the United States was established.
She also accused Trump of attempting to divert public attention from pressing domestic concerns, including rising fuel prices.
Some US media reports suggested that the idea of renaming New Mexico originated as an internet joke before Trump picked it up.
The latest proposal is part of a series of naming changes and suggestions associated with Trump since his return to the White House.
Earlier, Trump ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a move Mexico rejected.
He also signed an order seeking to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” despite opposition from Canada.
More recently, Trump floated the idea of calling the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait” amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, although he later appeared to indicate that the suggestion was not meant seriously.
