Iceland summons U.S. ambassador over Trump’s social media post
Iceland summoned the U.S. ambassador on Monday after President Donald Trump posted an image on social media showing the island and other countries covered by the American flag, reports BritPanorama.
The map displayed the United States, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, all covered by the U.S. flag, with the entire landmass labelled “United States of America.”
Trump shared the image on his Truth Social platform without any accompanying explanation.
Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir, called in Billy Long, who recently became the U.S. ambassador to Iceland. According to local broadcaster RUV, the foreign ministry conveyed that the post was “completely inappropriate.”
Responses from the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. embassies in Copenhagen and Reykjavik, have not yet been received, while the Icelandic foreign ministry also did not respond to inquiries.
Trump’s previous assertions regarding acquiring Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, have led to tensions between Washington and Copenhagen, as well as broader discomfort throughout Europe.
In a recent referendum, Iceland voted against reopening EU membership talks, a decision overshadowed by Trump’s interest in Greenland. Some proponents of joining the EU cited concerns over U.S. reliability, although analysts noted domestic economic issues were a significant factor in the outcome.
The timing of Trump’s post coincided with the European Commission’s announcement of a €200 million ($232.50 million) investment in Greenland, made during a visit by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed the matter, stating that the sentiment from Greenland’s government and people has been clear.
“The Greenlandic government and the Greenlandic people have said again and again that they do not want to be American,” she said. “I hope no one is in any doubt about that, either in the United States or the rest of the world.”
