New Mexico Democrats call on Apple, Google to keep state’s name on map

New Mexico Democrats Press Map Companies to Retain the State’s Official Name

Provpnadvice.com – Five Democratic members of Congress from New Mexico are urging Apple and Google to make clear that their mapping services will continue to label the state as “New Mexico,” despite President Trump’s social media proposal to call it “New America.”

The lawmakers sent a letter Thursday to Apple CEO John Ternus and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, asking both companies for a public commitment that Apple Maps and Google Maps will preserve the state’s existing name for every user. The delegation includes Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, along with Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fernández and Gabe Vasquez.

The request followed a Sunday Truth Social post in which Trump shared an image of New Mexico with the word “Mexico” crossed out and replaced by “America.” The lawmakers argued that a presidential post or executive action cannot alter the state’s legal identity.

The United States Constitution does not give the President the power to unilaterally rename a state and an executive order cannot amend New Mexico’s Constitution or change the legal identity of our state.

In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized that changing the state’s name would require action through New Mexico’s own constitutional procedures. The issue is therefore different from federal naming decisions involving geographic features, where executive branch actions can influence how agencies and some private platforms display names.

Concerns Follow Earlier Map Label Changes

The congressional delegation’s concern is shaped by recent changes involving other places on major digital map services. Apple Maps and Google Maps changed the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for U.S. users after Trump signed an executive order renaming the body of water during his administration’s trade dispute with Canada.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News that Apple made its adjustment after Trump contacted the company directly with a request for the new label. The earlier changes demonstrated, in the lawmakers’ view, that map providers may respond to political pressure or federal naming decisions that affect how locations appear to users.

Both platforms also updated the Gulf of Mexico designation for American users last year, showing “Gulf of America” after the president pushed for that landmark to receive a new name. Digital mapping services are used by travelers, businesses, schools and emergency responders, making their labels more consequential than a simple change in a database.

Map names can shape directions, search results, local listings and the way people encounter a place in everyday life. The New Mexico lawmakers want the companies to draw a clear line between federal efforts concerning waterways or other geographic landmarks and an attempt to rename one of the country’s states.

Because of this history, we ask each of you to publicly commit that Apple Maps and Google Maps will continue to identify the State of New Mexico as New Mexico, regardless of what the President posts on social media, what executive order he attempts to issue, or what pressure he puts on your companies.

A State Name Rooted in Its Own Constitutional Process

New Mexico’s name predates the creation of the United States, a point the delegation highlighted in its appeal. The lawmakers said the state’s identity should not become subject to negotiations between political leaders and technology companies.

Again, the name has belonged to the people of New Mexico since before the United States existed. It should not become a political football to be negotiated between an unhinged President and two of the most powerful technology companies in the world.

The letter places Apple and Google at the center of a broader debate about the role of private technology platforms in presenting official geographic information. Their map products serve enormous audiences and often function as a practical reference point for place names, addresses and regional boundaries.

For New Mexico residents, the question is not merely symbolic. A state name appears in navigation searches, business addresses, government references and travel planning. Maintaining consistency helps reduce confusion for people looking for public services, destinations or local information.

The lawmakers’ request also underscores the limits of presidential authority over state matters. While presidents can issue executive orders affecting federal agencies, states have their own constitutions, governments and legal processes. The delegation contends that a state’s formal name cannot be replaced through a unilateral federal directive.

Apple and Google have not publicly committed to the request in the lawmakers’ Thursday letter. The companies now face pressure to explain how they decide when a government-backed naming change should affect their mapping products, particularly when the proposed change concerns a state rather than a federally administered geographic feature.

For now, the New Mexico delegation is seeking a straightforward assurance: that the state will remain New Mexico on the map, regardless of future social media posts, executive orders or direct requests from the White House.