Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump trolls world leaders again by resharing map of ‘Stars and Stripes’ Greenland

It was part of a late-night posting spree that followed his angry ranting against Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, and threatens to reignite a row over the president’s desire to forcibly seize Greenland

Greenlanders remain anxious despite Trump ruling out taking territory by force

President Trump is once again trolling world leaders by resharing an AI-generated map that shows Greenland, Canada and Venezuela covered in the U.S. flag.

It was part of a late-night posting spree that followed his angry ranting against Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, and was reshared by the president without comment.

The doctored image, first posted in January, shows Trump in the Oval Office with various European leaders including British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, French president Emmanuel Macron and president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen.

In the background, to Trump’s left, is a map of the Americas that shows the president’s dream of an expanded American empire.

President Trump has long dreamed of an expanded American empire, to the consternation of his allies. This image was AI-generated.
President Trump has long dreamed of an expanded American empire, to the consternation of his allies. This image was AI-generated. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)

The provocative post threatens to reignite a row over the future of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

President Trump has insisted the large island must become part of the U.S. for security reasons, even though an existing treaty with Denmark already allows the U.S. full military access to Greenland.

Fear has grown across Europe and the Americas that Trump will make good on his threats to forcibly take Greenland, in a move that would rupture the NATO military alliance and pit the U.S. against its longest and strongest European allies.

Trump previously refused to rule out sending in armed forces, before walking back that suggestion at the Davos summit in Switzerland in January.

In another AI-generated image shared by Trump a few weeks ago, he is shown planting the American flag on Greenland alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A sign in the foreground reads: “GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026”.

Trump’s persistent trolling of Greenland has included threats of American force to seize the island from Denmark. This image is AI-generated.
Trump’s persistent trolling of Greenland has included threats of American force to seize the island from Denmark. This image is AI-generated. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)

Trump isn’t the only U.S. figure who has shared pictures of Greenland with the Stars and Stripes of late. Earlier in January, Katie Miller, conservative podcast host and wife of White House advisor Stephen Miller, shared a picture of the territory with an American flag on it, with the caption: “SOON.”

The president’s resharing of the controversial image also threatened to further raise tensions between the U.S. and Canada, which have been high in recent months.

A few weeks ago Trump threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on goods imported from Canada if the country went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing, and he has repeatedly trolled his northern neighbors by suggesting they become the 51st state of the United States.

It also emerged recently that Trump administration officials have reportedly held several secret meetings with far-right Canadian separatists who want to break free from the rest of the country.

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has alarmed Canada, which shares a 1,864-mile maritime border with the territory.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in