Why did White House post Greenland Penguin meme? Here's what you should know

The White House official X (formerly Twitter) handle shared an AI-generated post of President Trump along with a penguin that has been making rounds on the internet.

While joining the viral ‘nihilist penguin’ meme trend, the White House posted a cryptic message that appeared to reference the Greenland debate, affirming one thing: the president’s stance on the territory has not changed.

The AI-generated post has so far garnered over 19 million views, with netizens sharing their opinions.

The post features an AI-generated image of U.S. President Donald Trump walking toward a range of snowy peaks while gently holding a penguin’s wing.

The image shows the penguin carrying the US flag, while the nearby mountains have the Greenland flag on them.

The post was captioned: “Embrace the Penguin.”

What's the story behind viral "Lonely Penguin" trend?

The viral clip, which features a penguin abandoning its colony and moving toward the distant mountains, has left netizens buzzing.

Social media users have coined multiple terms for it, some calling it the “nihilist penguin” or “lonely penguin,’ while for many it's the “wandering penguin.”

The trend originated from a German filmmaker, Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World.

The short clip features a lone Adelie penguin leaving its usual coastal route.

The story of the lone Adelie penguin is more complex than the meme suggests.

In the documentary, Herzog interviews marine ecologist Dr. David Ainley, who states that even if they captured the penguin and brought it back to its habitat, it would rush back to the mountains.

However, when the years-old clip resurfaced, the penguin became a social media sensation.

Netizens interpreted it as someone who is rebellious or having an existential crisis, with many relating to the lone individual.