In a recent move during the new state legislative session, Arizona Senator Wendy Rogers [R-District 7] took the initiative by pre-filing Arizona Senate Concurrent Memorial 1001 on December 16. This memorial strongly “urges” the Arizona Department of Transportation to officially designate State Route 260 as the Donald J. Trump Highway and ensure that new signage is installed to reflect this name change.
A memorial is a legislative action that does not have binding legal implications or bring about changes in state statutes.
In a post on Twitter on January 8, Representative Paul Gosar mentioned that he is currently working on a bill in the Arizona Senate to rename State Route 260 as the “Donald J. Trump Highway.” He made this announcement in response to a user who showed support for President-elect Trump’s suggestion to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
On January 7, Trump publicly announced his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, stating, “What a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate.” In response, U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, took to Twitter to share that she had instructed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Other nations are not obligated to conform to a name change for the Gulf of Mexico, even if the U.S. government decides to make such a change.
“This funding is crucial for initiating the process of updating maps across various federal agencies, including the FAA and the military,” Greene stated.
The proposal to rename the highway after Trump was based on several reasons. One of them is that he was the first Republican nominee to win the popular vote since George W. Bush’s reelection in 2004. Additionally, Trump had put forward the idea of establishing a non-governmental presidential advisory commission called the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which would include prominent businessmen like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump was also known for his advocacy of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and his decision to withdraw the United States from the United Nations Paris Climate Agreement. These factors were cited in support of renaming the highway in his honor.
According to SCM 1001, President Trump’s energy plan aims to achieve American energy dominance and reduce regulatory obstacles to energy utilization. The plan also prioritizes environmental protection, striving for cleaner air and water.
Arizona Republicans hold a majority of 17-13 in the state senate and 33-27 in the state house. In the event that SCM1001 is approved, it would then be sent to the Democratic Arizona Governor, Katie Hobbs, for her signature. Governor Hobbs has gained recognition for her extensive use of the veto, having struck down 143 bills in 2023 and 73 bills in 2024.
State Route 260 stretches for 193 miles, starting in Cottonwood and passing through Payson, Heber-Overgaard, and Show Low before reaching its final destination in Eager.
In 2021, Rogers drafted SCM1003, a bill aimed at renaming State Route 260 after Trump. However, the bill did not pass and died in committee.