Trump shares map depicting Canada, Greenland as US territory

US President Donald Trump posted an image on his Truth Social account on Monday that appeared to place much of North America under US sovereignty, depicting the American flag covering not only the United States but extending across large sections of Canada, Greenland and Mexico while using similar imagery across other regional territories. The graphic arrived one day after Trump shared a separate image that appeared to rename the US state of New Mexico as “New America,” crossing out the word Mexico in a move that prompted immediate condemnation from state officials and raised fresh questions about the administration’s territorial ambitions — though the White House has announced no formal effort to change the state’s name.

Alongside the North America map, Trump posted several other similar images after the New Mexico graphic drew sharp criticism from local leaders and Democratic officials across the southwestern state. The posts reflect an escalating pattern of territorial rhetoric that has characterized the administration’s approach to regional neighbors, according to analysts monitoring the president’s social media activity.

New Mexico officials reject renaming

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said on X that the state’s name “isn’t up for debate,” accusing the president of “coloring on maps” while working families face rising fuel costs and economic uncertainty. Senator Martin Heinrich said on the platform: “Three things I will always call by their actual names… The Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, New Mexico.”

Representative Melanie Stansbury also rejected the proposed change, stating: “We’re New Mexicans. Period.” Representative Gabe Vasquez told reporters that Trump could not “erase New Mexico,” its history or culture, emphasizing that the state’s identity and heritage are not subject to alteration by executive whim or social media proclamation.

Series of geographic renaming efforts

Trump has increasingly used geographic renaming and cartographic imagery as part of his political messaging since returning to office, signaling a broader effort to redefine American cartography and territorial claims through presidential proclamations and executive orders. In January 2025, he ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to by the US government as the “Gulf of America,” and on August 27 he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” amid sharply deteriorating relations with Canada and ongoing trade disputes.

The Trump administration has also pursued territorial claims over Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, prompting diplomatic tensions with Copenhagen and concerns among NATO allies regarding the stability of transatlantic security arrangements. Washington has simultaneously intensified pressure on Cuba, imposing sanctions and maintaining a broader economic pressure campaign against Havana, according to recent statements from the State Department.