Republicans need to stop criticizing Trump and unify under the GOP to secure midterms.
President Donald Trump is facing criticism from a former Republican congressman over his controversial suggestion that New Mexico could be called “New America,” with the former lawmaker warning that the president may be distracting voters from economic and foreign-policy issues ahead of the midterm elections.
Former Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania criticized Trump’s recent social media posts during an appearance Monday on MS NOW’s “State of Play.”
Dent argued that the president’s attention to renaming geographic locations — including New Mexico, Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico — could distract Republicans at a critical moment in the election cycle.
“It’s hurting his own team,” Dent said. “It’s almost like there’s an intentional act to undermine your own party’s prospects in the midterms.”
The criticism comes as Republicans and Democrats battle over the economy, the cost of living, foreign policy and control of Congress.
Republican Charlie Dent Takes Aim at Trump
During the interview, host Peter Alexander asked Dent about Trump’s recent social media activity, including an image depicting New Mexico under the name “New America.”
Dent called the controversy a “total distraction” from issues affecting Americans in their daily lives.
He argued that debates involving the names of states, lakes and other geographic locations are unlikely to address the concerns many households have about their finances and the direction of the country.
Dent suggested some voters could look at the president’s latest actions and simply wonder: “What is he doing?”
The former Republican congressman said Trump should instead devote greater attention to the cost of living and the conflict involving Iran.
Dent also criticized the president’s focus on subjects including the White House ballroom, the Kennedy Center and the Reflecting Pool.
His argument is straightforward: With control of Congress at stake, Republicans have limited time to convince voters that their policies can improve Americans’ everyday lives.
Trump Promotes “New America” Idea
The controversy erupted after Trump shared an image on Truth Social showing the word “Mexico” in New Mexico crossed out and replaced by “America.”
The White House’s official social media account subsequently shared the image as well.
Trump later expanded on the idea.
“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great vote cheating states of all time, to NEW AMERICA,” Trump wrote, before describing the proposed name as more “prestigious and beautiful.”
Despite the attention generated by the posts, New Mexico has not officially been renamed.
Trump’s social media posts do not themselves change the state’s legal name, and a president does not have unilateral authority to officially rename a state.
That distinction is particularly important because a separate claim circulating online alleged that Trump had already signed an executive order formally changing New Mexico to “New America.”
That claim was false.
The Original New Mexico Claim Was a Hoax
Before Trump began promoting the “New America” idea himself, an online rumor claimed that he had signed an executive order on Sept. 1 changing the state’s name.
Fact-checkers determined that the claim originated from satirical content.
But the story took an unusual turn when Trump subsequently shared imagery promoting essentially the same proposed name.
As a result, two separate issues became intertwined online: the false claim that New Mexico had already been officially renamed and Trump’s genuine social media posts promoting the “New America” idea.
There is currently no official name change.
New Mexico remains New Mexico.
Could Trump Actually Rename New Mexico?
The legal question surrounding the controversy is different from previous geographic name changes pursued by the Trump administration.
A president can direct the federal government to use particular names for certain geographic features under federal authority. Changing the legal name of an American state is another matter.
New Mexico’s name is established in the state constitution, meaning Trump cannot simply sign an executive order and officially transform New Mexico into “New America.”
Any genuine effort to change the state’s legal name would therefore face significant constitutional and political obstacles.
That makes Trump’s current proposal primarily a political and social media controversy unless New Mexico itself undertakes the process necessary to change its name.
New Mexico Governor Rejects Trump’s Suggestion
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham quickly pushed back against Trump.
She said New Mexico’s name was not “up for debate” and accused the president of diverting attention from more pressing issues.
“While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work,” Lujan Grisham wrote on X.
Her response turned the unusual naming controversy into another clash between the White House and a Democratic governor.
But Dent’s involvement adds another dimension to the story.
Unlike Lujan Grisham, Dent is a former Republican congressman.
His criticism centers largely on the political consequences for his own former party.
Dent Says Republicans Should Focus on Cost of Living
Dent argued that Trump and Republicans should concentrate on issues with an immediate impact on American households.
The cost of living remains one of those issues.
Everything from groceries and gasoline to housing, utilities, insurance and other household expenses can shape how voters view the economy and Washington.
Dent believes those concerns should take priority over symbolic controversies about geographic names.
He also urged greater attention to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
His comments raise a broader strategic question for Republicans ahead of the midterms: Should the party embrace Trump’s headline-generating political style, or concentrate its message more narrowly on the economy, national security, immigration and other policy issues?
Dent clearly favors the latter approach.
Trump Previously Renamed Lake Ontario “Lake America”
The New Mexico controversy did not emerge in isolation.
Trump recently signed an executive order directing the federal government to use “Lake America” for Lake Ontario amid heightened trade tensions between the United States and Canada.
The move attracted international attention as Washington and Ottawa confronted each other over trade and tariffs.
Trump had previously pursued another high-profile geographic change involving the Gulf of Mexico.
The federal government began using “Gulf of America,” although the change did not require other countries to abandon the traditional Gulf of Mexico name.
Major technology companies subsequently adjusted how some of these names appeared for American users.
Those previous actions may help explain why the New Mexico rumor spread so rapidly.
Trump had already demonstrated a willingness to pursue unconventional geographic name changes, making the false claim about an executive order renaming New Mexico appear plausible to some social media users.
“New America” Controversy Arrives Before Midterms
Dent’s criticism ultimately goes beyond the name of New Mexico.
The former congressman is warning that Trump’s communication strategy could affect Republican candidates who would rather keep voters focused on their preferred campaign issues.
Trump has long relied on provocative statements, unconventional proposals and social media posts to command public attention.
That strategy can dominate the news cycle and force political opponents to respond to subjects chosen by the president.
But Dent argues there is a downside.
Every day spent debating whether New Mexico should become “New America,” in his view, is a day Republicans are not emphasizing economic concerns and other issues they want voters considering before Election Day.
“It’s hurting his own team,” Dent said.
Whether Republican voters agree with that assessment remains to be seen.
What is clear is that New Mexico has not been renamed, Trump cannot unilaterally change the state’s legal name, and a social media post that began as a naming controversy has now developed into a broader Republican debate about political priorities ahead of the midterm elections.
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