Donald Trump has posted a map showing Greenland and Iceland as part of the USA, extending a visual representation of American territorial expansion to a second Nordic country. The image, shared by President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Monday without any accompanying text, also covers Canada, Mexico and several countries in Central America and the Caribbean with the American flag. Unlike Greenland and Canada, however, Trump has not publicly presented a policy or demand to take control of Iceland.
Trump’s map includes Greenland, Iceland and much of North America
The image shared on Trump’s Truth Social account depicts the USA extending across most of North America, Greenland, Iceland, Central America and parts of the Caribbean.
According to TV 2 Norway, the American flag covers Greenland, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, as well as Iceland. Honduras is notably left outside the area.
Trump provided no explanation for the image. DR reported that the post follows a series of statements in which the President has continued to argue that Greenland should come under American control.
There is an important distinction between the countries shown. Trump has repeatedly and explicitly advocated USA control of Greenland and has previously suggested that Canada could become part of the United States. There is currently no comparable public proposal to annex or acquire Iceland. The map therefore does not, by itself, establish a new American policy towards Reykjavík.
Greenland remains at the centre of Trump’s territorial ambitions
The post is particularly significant because of the continuing dispute over Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the USA needs Greenland for national security. In January, he refused to rule out taking control of the island by force, before later saying at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the USA would not use military force to pursue its acquisition. His demands have nevertheless continued: at a NATO summit in July he again argued that American control of Greenland was necessary for security reasons. Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly rejected the proposal.
The USA already has a military presence in Greenland and extensive possibilities for security cooperation with Denmark. The dispute is therefore not principally about whether Washington can operate in the Arctic, but about Trump’s demand for American ownership or control of the territory.
Greenland’s government has consistently maintained that the island’s future must be decided by Greenlanders themselves. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has repeatedly said that Greenland is not for sale, while the government has stressed that its decisions are based on democracy and international law.
The map appeared as the EU strengthened its ties with Greenland
Trump shared the map at the same time as the European Union, Greenland and Denmark were demonstrating closer political and economic cooperation in Nuuk.
On 7 September, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reinforced relations through a new joint declaration. The text stresses democracy, human rights and the observance of international law.
The European Commission also announced a €200 million investment package for 2026 and 2027, covering areas including digital connectivity, hydropower, critical raw materials, housing, tourism, education and fisheries. The joint declaration describes Greenland as an increasingly important European partner in the Arctic.
Trump did not say whether the timing of his post was connected to the initiative. The map was nevertheless published as the EU, Denmark and Greenland were publicly strengthening their relationship after months of pressure from Washington.
Iceland appears days after its EU referendum
Iceland’s inclusion is more unusual, because Trump has not publicly demanded control over the Nordic country. It also comes shortly after Icelanders voted against reopening accession negotiations with the European Union. In the 29 August referendum, 52.8% voted No and 47.2% Yes, with turnout at 82.5%. The result keeps Iceland outside the EU while maintaining its close integration through the European Economic Area and Schengen.
Iceland had already surfaced indirectly during the dispute over Greenland. Earlier this year, Trump’s ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, joked about the country becoming the 52nd USA state and himself becoming its governor. Trump’s new map goes further symbolically by placing Iceland directly under the American flag, although there is still no evidence of an explicit territorial claim by the President.
Trump’s map is therefore less a new policy towards Iceland than another display of his expansionist ambitions. By placing Greenland, Iceland and Canada under the American flag, he is once again applying political pressure and presenting a vision of an enlarged USA.
