Memo from New Delhi: Make America India Again?
US President Donald Trump suggested renaming the state of New Mexico to 'New America' in a social media post, claiming it would add prestige. Local political representatives and critics rejected the idea, citing constitutional barriers and the state's long historical identity.
Why it matters
The incident illustrates the ongoing tension between populist political rhetoric and established state constitutional and historical identities in the US.
TOI Correspondent from Washington: First, he renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. Then he wanted Lake Ontario to be called Lake America. Now he wants New Mexico to become New America. At this rate, goes the joke, US President Donald Trump may soon rename America itself – perhaps call it New India, since Christopher Columbus, whose voyages helped bring the continent to European attention, was looking for India when he got here.“New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” Trump declared on Truth Social on Monday. The new name, he promised, would add “great value and prestige” to the state, boost residents’ pride in saluting the American flag and even ensure that “the Crooked Elections, that New Mexico is known for, would become honest again!”New Mexico’s political reps were unimpressed.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in