Iceland summons US ambassador after Trump posts map covering country with American flag

Iceland's Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir has summoned US Ambassador Billy Long for talks after President Donald Trump posted a map on Truth Social showing the American flag covering not only the United States but also Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean nations. The entire territory shown was labeled as the United States, and Trump posted it without any explanation.

Iceland's public broadcaster RUV reported the summons, noting that Long had only taken up his post in August. Iceland's foreign ministry said it delivered a clear message to the ambassador that the map and the post were entirely unacceptable.

Tension over Greenland and the EU referendum

Trump has previously expressed a desire for the US to take over Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, straining relations between Washington and Copenhagen. Both countries are founding NATO members, but Trump's statements have also created friction with other European nations. In late August, Iceland held a referendum in which voters rejected resuming talks on joining the European Union — a vote largely accelerated by Trump's stated intentions toward Greenland. While supporters of resuming talks cited concerns about US reliability, analysts noted that domestic issues ultimately determined the outcome.

The map was posted just hours after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, visiting Greenland, announced 200 million euros in investment for the island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking to reporters in Nuuk, stressed that Greenland's government and people have repeatedly and clearly stated they do not want to become Americans, expressing hope that no one doubts this, whether in the US or elsewhere.