Iceland reaction to Trump map: ‘There is nothing funny about sovereignty'

Iceland has officially summoned the U.S. ambassador after President Donald Trump posted a map on social media showing the American flag superimposed over Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Mexico, and parts of Central America and the Caribbean.

Island nations’ leaders have condemned it as a violation of their sovereignty.

The map, posted Monday, September 7, on Truth Social without any captions, showcases the entire landmass labelled “United States of America” with stars and stripes covering territories including NATO ally Iceland.

Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir told reporters onTuesday, September 8: “It is an insult to Icelanders, Canadians, Greenlanders. There is nothing funny or normal about making fun of the sovereignty of states.”

Iceland’s Foreign Minister summoned U.S Ambassador Billy Long, who formally took up this post last month, to express the nation’s displeasure, a diplomatic move typically reserved for serious grievances.

The post has also drawn sharp criticism from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who reiterated that Greenland’s government and people “have said again and again that they do not want to be American.”

The situation arose less than two weeks after Iceland rejected the idea of joining the European Union, during the height of trade disputes between the United States and Canada, with the countries slapping tariffs on one another's products.

Icelanders have been becoming more skeptical about Trump ever since he first expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, which is Iceland's nearest neighbor. "This social media post indicates a clear change of tone," said Eirikur Bergmann, a politics professor at Bifrost University.

“Icelanders are used to looking toward the U.S. as Iceland’s defender. Now, our protector has become our intimidator,” he added.

There was no immediate response from the White House when contacted for comment. The American embassy in Reykjavik chose not to comment on the post or on the Icelandic government's reaction.