Former Republican Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) on Monday slammed President Trump's latest social media posts, including an AI-generated map labeling New Mexico as "New America," as a "total distraction" that is "hurting his own team" ahead of the midterm elections.
In an interview on MSNBC's "State of Play" with Peter Alexander, Dent said the president's fixation on renaming states and geographic features is "completely irrelevant to Americans' lives" and likely strikes voters as "bizarre." He argued that such antics are not only unhelpful but actively damaging to Republican prospects.
"It's hurting his own team. It's almost like there's an intentional act to undermine your own party's prospects in the midterms," Dent said, echoing concerns from other GOP strategists about the party's midterm odds.
The former lawmaker urged Trump to pivot to pressing issues like the cost of living and ending the Iran war, but noted the president "continues to obsess over the ballroom and the Kennedy Center and the Reflecting Pool."
Background of the 'New America' posts
Trump's posts came after a viral hoax claimed he signed an executive order on Sept. 1 renaming New Mexico. Fact-checkers like Snopes debunked the claim, tracing it to a satirical account, but Trump reshared a map on Truth Social and official White House accounts with "Mexico" crossed out and replaced with "America." He later wrote that "many people" suggested the change, calling it "so much more prestigious and beautiful."
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) fired back on X, saying the issue is "not up for debate" and accusing Trump of distracting from the Iran war and high gas prices. "While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work," she wrote.
Pattern of renaming efforts
This is not the first such move. Trump signed an order last year to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," sparking backlash from Mexican lawmakers and a lawsuit against Google. The tech firm later displayed the name for U.S. users, and similarly applied "Lake America" to Lake Ontario after a trade war escalation with Canada. The renaming efforts have drawn international criticism, including a diplomatic spat with Iceland over a flag map.
Dent's comments highlight a growing frustration among some Republicans over Trump's focus on symbolic battles rather than policy. He reiterated that voters want solutions, not distractions, and warned that continued antics could cost the party dearly.
