Iceland summons U.S. ambassador over territorial map proposals
Iceland formally summoned the U.S. ambassador over Trump's territorial expansion proposals.
Event / Geopolitics
Trump Geographic Renaming Proposals
Trump's pattern of renaming geographic features and territories, including proposals to acquire Greenland and Canada, rename bodies of water, and incorporate other territories into the United States.
11 reported locations
Daily activity
8 articles0 articles
2026-09-03 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 3 Sept, 02:46 UTC
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What happened
Trump proposes renaming Strait of Hormuz to 'Trump Strait'
US President Trump proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz to 'Trump Strait,' as part of his recent pattern of unilateral geographic renamings.
Trump continues assertions about acquiring Greenland
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, President Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to make Greenland a US territory. Greenland is an autonomous territory administered by Denmark, and Trump's ambitions regarding it remain ongoing.
Trump proposes renaming New Mexico state to 'New America'
On September 6, 2026, US President Trump suggested renaming the US state of New Mexico to 'New America,' as part of his pattern of territorial and geographic rebranding initiatives.
Iceland convokes US ambassador in response to territorial map
Iceland's Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir convoked US Ambassador Billy Long to formally communicate that Trump's map depicting Iceland as part of the United States was 'totally inappropriate.' Iceland has maintained no military since its independence in 1944 and relies on NATO and a bilateral defense agreement with the United States dating to 1951 for its security.
Trump map labels Gulf of Mexico as 'Gulf of America'
The map published by Trump labeled the Gulf of Mexico as 'Gulf of America,' continuing a unilateral renaming decision the president made in January 2025 at the start of his second term.
Trump continues assertions about making Canada the 51st US state
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to make Canada the 51st state of the United States, as part of his expansionist rhetoric.
Trump publishes map showing US territory expanded to include Mexico, Canada, and French Caribbean territories
On September 7, 2026, US President Donald Trump published a map on his Truth Social network depicting an expanded United States that includes Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Greenland, Iceland, and French Caribbean territories including Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The map displayed no accompanying commentary or explanation.
Trump signs decree renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'
In late August 2026, President Trump signed an executive decree unilaterally renaming Lake Ontario, located at the US-Canada border, to 'Lake America,' amid ongoing commercial tensions with Canada.
Trump posts social media content suggesting renaming New Mexico to New America
President Donald Trump posted a map on Truth Social on September 7, 2025, suggesting renaming New Mexico to New America. The post crossed out the word Mexico and replaced it with America on a map of the state. Trump accompanied this with an AI-generated video depicting him placing an America sticker over Mexico on a state welcome sign, followed by a dance to Y.M.C.A.
New Mexico is swing state, not won by Republican since 2004
New Mexico has not been won by a Republican presidential candidate since George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in 2004 by fewer than 6,000 votes. Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by nearly 100,000 votes.
Trump previously renamed Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario
Prior to proposing the New Mexico renaming, Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America after taking office in January 2025. He also signed an executive order in the previous month renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America amid trade tensions with Canada.
Legal process required to change New Mexico's official name
Renaming New Mexico would require action involving both Congress and the state itself. Changing the state constitution would follow New Mexico's amendment process under Article XIX, requiring approval by the state Legislature and ratification by state voters.
Trump's approval rating stands at 36 percent
According to NBC polling, President Trump's overall approval rating was at 36 percent, with voters disapproving of his job performance on tariffs, gas prices, the Iran war, and inflation.
New Mexico Democratic officials reject Trump's renaming proposal
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Democratic candidate for governor Deb Haaland rejected Trump's proposal to rename the state. Grisham stated on X that New Mexico's name has been theirs since before the United States existed. Both officials emphasized the state's historical name and identity.
New Mexico's name dates to 1500s Spanish colonial period
New Mexico was named Nuevo México by Spanish settlers in the 1500s, making the name older than the United States and predating Mexican independence from Spain. The territory was acquired by the United States following the 1846-1848 Mexican-American War and became a state in 1912.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declines to adopt Lake America designation
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that New York will not call the lake Lake America and will continue to refer to it as Lake Ontario. Hochul noted that approximately 52% of Lake Ontario's surface area is in Canada with the remainder in New York.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejects Lake America designation
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected Trump's Lake America designation, stating the lake will be called Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world now and forever. Carney noted the name predates both Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence, originating from the Wendat word Ontari'io meaning the lake is beautiful and big.
Google Maps displays Lake America for U.S. users following Trump order
Google Maps changed its mapping service to display Lake Ontario as Lake America for users in the United States following Trump's executive order. Users in Canada continue to see Lake Ontario, and users outside the U.S. and Canada see both names. Google cited its long-standing policy of using names assigned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
Canada announces retaliatory tariffs to take effect September 8
Canada announced matching retaliatory tariffs against U.S. goods in response to American tariffs on Canadian imports. The Canadian tariffs were set to take effect on September 8, 2026.
U.S. imposes 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods amid trade dispute
The United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20 billion of Canadian goods as part of an escalating trade dispute with Canada. The tariffs came after trade talks between the countries collapsed on August 21, 2026. Trump also announced plans for 50 percent tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts beginning in 2027.
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2 alternative perspectives
Trump expands geographic renaming proposals to Strait of Hormuz
Trump proposes renaming Strait of Hormuz and New Mexico, expanding geographic rebranding beyond water bodies to international waterways.
Trump publishes map depicting territorial expansion into Canada, Mexico, Greenland
Trump published a map showing expanded U.S. territory including Canada, Mexico, and Greenland acquisition proposals.
Trump's naming pattern extends beyond Lake America to broader geographic rebranding
Trump's geographic renaming proposals follow a pattern from water bodies to state names, meeting resistance from officials and mixed platform compliance.
New Mexico officials reject Trump's proposal to rename state
New Mexico officials reject Trump's proposal to rename the state to New America.
Public opposition and tariffs escalate Lake Ontario rename dispute
U.S. tariffs on Canada escalate as American public opposes Lake Ontario rename.
Canada rejects Trump's Lake America rename across political divide
Canadian and U.S. political leaders reject Lake America designation despite platform compliance.
Tech platforms split on implementing Lake Ontario rename order
Trump's Lake Ontario rename order prompted Google Maps and Apple Maps to comply, while MapQuest refused.