The Hill reported that Trump said New Mexico should immediately adopt the name “New America” and argued that the state is part of the United States, not Mexico. The report attributed those remarks to Trump.
The proposal followed reported changes involving the names of the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, according to EL PAÍS and The Hill.
EL PAÍS reported that Trump does not have the authority to change New Mexico’s name unilaterally. The supplied reports do not establish whether New Mexico officials or the state legislature endorsed or acted on the proposal, or whether any official name change was implemented.
The three reports were published on October 19, 2026; the supplied material does not separately establish the exact date or time of Trump’s statement.