Posting on social media, Trump claimed that "New America" would be a more prestigious and beautiful title for the state, while the White House shared an edited image with "Mexico" crossed out. However, state media reports indicated the concept may have originated as an internet hoax. Governor Grisham dismissed the idea to Fox News, emphasising that the name has belonged to the state since before the United States existed and accusing the president of attempting to distract Americans from issues like soaring gas prices.

The proposal follows a series of similar naming initiatives by Trump, including signing an order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amid a trade war with Canada, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" upon returning to office in 2025, and previously floating the renaming of the Strait of Hormuz to "Trump Strait" before later implying he was not serious. Both Canada and Mexico have rejected these renaming efforts.