Fox Business correspondent Charles Gasparino issued a pointed warning to President Donald Trump and Republicans over the weekend, cautioning that the president’s penchant for renaming lakes and states is not a winning strategy heading into the November midterms.
With just 57 days left until the midterm elections, Gasparino took to X on Monday urging Trump’s team to sharpen its messaging and focus on substance rather than symbolism.
The warning came shortly after Trump floated another geographical rebrand on Truth Social Sunday night, this time suggesting New Mexico could be renamed “New America.”
“Someone tell the president renaming lakes and states won’t do it in November. Unfortunately, attacking @hasanthehun every minute of every day probably won’t either,” Gasparino wrote, referencing controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who has previously drawn backlash for comments suggesting America “deserved” the September 11 attacks.
Gasparino argued that the administration needs to lean harder into its economic message. He acknowledged the sales pitch is a tough one, noting that tariffs made the job harder because the administration didn’t adequately address elevated prices when it took office, and that endorsing candidates like Ken Paxton has created additional headaches. He also flagged Iran as a “net negative” for the party at the moment.
Still, Gasparino said he doesn’t hear Trump’s team emphasizing the administration’s stronger top-line economic numbers or warning voters how those numbers could deteriorate under Democratic control. He added that with Iran “neutered,” global oil prices should start coming down, and urged the White House to make that case before it’s too late.
The renaming controversy traces back to Trump’s decision to officially rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” amid an ongoing trade dispute with Canada, which included the threat of 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods. The move set off a political uproar, with MAGA supporters cheering it as a clever troll of Canada while critics blasted it as an embarrassment. A recent poll found that most Americans were not fans of the switch.
Trump has continued to lean into the controversy rather than back away from it, posting a series of AI-generated videos on Truth Social, including one depicting machine gun-wielding Canada geese and another showing him kicking over a “Lake Ontario” sign and replacing it with one reading “Lake America.”
Gasparino’s comments suggest a growing unease within conservative media circles that viral stunts, however popular with the base, may not be enough to carry Republicans through a tough midterm cycle if paired with lingering economic frustrations among voters.
[READ MORE: Trump Blasts Canada’s Currency “Imbalance” as New Round of Tariffs Looms]
