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President Donald Trump’s proposal to rename New Mexico as “New America” has sparked criticism from residents and political leaders who say the move threatens to erase centuries of history and cultural identity.
Trump, a Republican, floated the name change on Sunday as U.S. trade negotiations with Mexico intensified. New Mexico, known for its deserts, mountains, Indigenous heritage and Spanish colonial history, has carried its current name for more than 450 years.
The proposal follows other geographic name changes backed by Trump. Last year, he renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying the move was intended to promote “American Greatness.” In August, Trump changed Lake Ontario to Lake America after trade negotiations with Canada broke down.
However, residents interviewed across New Mexico overwhelmingly opposed the latest proposal, while both Republican and Democratic politicians in the state rejected the idea.
“Trump you are crazy, you will not take nothing from us,” said Ethel Yazza, 67, a potter and member of the Santa Clara and Picuris Indigenous communities.
The region was called La Nueva Mexico by Spanish explorers during the 1560s, according to New Mexico State Historian Rob Martinez. Indigenous Puebloan communities had inhabited the area long before Spanish colonization.
“New Mexico is a beautiful name, it’s historic, it sounds beautiful, and New America does not,” Martinez said.
After centuries under Spanish control, New Mexico became part of Mexico in 1821. The United States later invaded and occupied the territory before New Mexico eventually became a U.S. state.
Some residents argued that changing the name would particularly affect the state’s Hispanic and Latino heritage. Around 49% of New Mexico’s population is Hispanic or Latino, the highest proportion among U.S. states.
Larry Cruz, a 65-year-old former U.S. Air Force legal administrator who voted for Trump in 2024, said the proposal was troubling because it appeared to threaten the state’s historical identity.
“It’s frightening to the degree that it’s trying to erase our history,” Cruz said.
The White House has not publicly addressed the criticism and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
