Trump took to Truth Social on Monday with a rebrand pitch: New Mexico should change its name to“New America.”He argued the switch would add prestige and boost home values and incomes, writing,“We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!”It’s the latest entry in his geographic rebranding streak, which already gave us the Gulf of America and Lake America.
There’s just one problem: a president can’t rename a state. That would take action from New Mexico and Congress, and pushback came from both sides of the aisle. Senator Ben Ray Luján said New Mexicans are proud of their name and“we’re keeping both,”while Republican congressional candidate Greg Cunningham noted the rename isn’t legislatively possible.
The timing is hard to miss, landing weeks before the November 3 midterms with Trump’s approval at 34 percent in a new poll. The whole thing has turned into a debate about state identity, centuries of history, and how much a social post can actually change. What do you think: should New Mexico keep its name, or is a rebrand worth a conversation?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.