Trump posts map labeling New Mexico as ‘New America’ after online hoax
Trump posts map labeling New Mexico as ‘New America’ after online hoax
Ryan Mancini Mon, September 7, 2026 at 12:29 AM UTC
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President Trump on Sunday posted a map of New Mexico labeled "New America" following the spread of a since-debunked online hoax claiming he had signed an executive order renaming the state.
The map Trump shared on Truth Social showed a large "X" over "Mexico" in the state's name, with the word "America" labeled below it. The official White House account reposted the image to social platform X.
Fact-checking website Snopes detailed how an X user posted the "New America" executive order claim on Sept. 1, going viral across other social media platforms. The outlet debunked the report, noting the original post came from a satirical social media account.
Trump wrote later Sunday evening, "Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great vote cheating states of all time, to NEW AMERICA. So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!"
The hoax followed the president's recent order to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America" amid his trade war with Canada.
Lawmakers chimed in after Trump shared his Sunday post, with Democrats denouncing the notion of renaming a state. Many noted the move would be in line with the president's past orders renaming landmarks — including the Great Lake name change and last year's order changing the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."
"Three things I will always call by their actual names," Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) wrote on X. "The Gulf of Mexico. Lake Ontario. New Mexico."
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said separately, "Oh hell no!"
"Our state’s name carries generations of history, culture, and family — and it belongs to us," she wrote on X. "We’re New Mexicans. Period."
Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), who is running for reelection against Republican Greg Cunningham, told the president on X that he doesn't "get to erase New Mexico. Not our name. Not our history. Not our culture."
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"The President may want to call us 'New America,' but we know who we are," he added.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) responded by citing the increase in gas and diesel prices seen over the course of the Iran war before asking what Trump and GOP lawmakers are "focused on."
"Changing the name of New Mexico to New America," Lieu answered himself. "November is coming."
At least one GOP lawmaker reacted to the post. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said "New America" was "kind of catchy."
Trump's renaming of other bodies of water largely drew criticism, including from Mexican and Canadian officials, respectively. Mexico's government sued Google last year after it changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico on its Maps platform, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum accusing the company of violating her country's sovereignty.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Lake Ontario's name still applied to "Canadians and the rest of the world. Now and forever." He referred to its ties to indigenous history and culture, named after the Wendat word for "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big."
The Seneca Nation — one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, Confederacy — urged Trump to reverse the order. They said the name change violated the terms of the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, which states the boundaries for the Seneca people are specified as "beginning on Lake Ontario." Leaders of the Haudenosaunee and former President George Washington signed the treaty.
House Democrats last week introduced legislation attempting to block Trump's Lake America order, as well as prevent the president and his administration from renaming other Great Lakes.
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) — whose district covers much of Lake Ontario's shoreline — told TMZ she was "pretty sure" Trump's executive order was just "a troll" against Canada.
This story was at 8:29 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2026.
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