US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the state of New Mexico “New America”, extending a series of controversial name-change proposals since his return to the White House.
Mr Trump made the suggestion in a social media post, saying several people had proposed changing the state’s name.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico… to NEW AMERICA,” he wrote. “So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!”
The White House later reposted an image showing the word “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America”.
But New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham quickly rejected the proposal, saying the state’s name was not open for discussion.
The governor told Fox News that the name “isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed.”
She accused Mr Trump of trying to “distract Americans” from domestic concerns, including rising petrol prices.
Some US media reports have suggested that the proposal originated as an internet hoax before Mr Trump amplified it.
The suggestion comes days after Mr Trump signed an order seeking to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, amid tensions with neighbouring Canada.
Canada has rejected the name change, while Mexico has also opposed Mr Trump’s earlier decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America”.
Mr Trump has also recently floated the idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait” as the conflict with Iran continues, although he later appeared to indicate that he was not being serious.
His proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico was made on his first day back in the White House last year.
