Trump’s Iceland ambassador decide made a ’52nd state’ joke. Icelanders aren’t laughing

[ad_1] Hearken to this text

Estimated 5 minutes

The audio model of this text is generated by AI-based expertise. Mispronunciations can happen. We're working with our companions to repeatedly evaluation and enhance the outcomes.

Many Canadians did not discover it very humorous when U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to make Canada its 51st state.

And Trump's feedback about taking management of Greenland, as soon as thought of a joke, are actually a really actual risk.

So when Trump's decide for U.S. ambassador to Iceland joked this week that the Nordic nation ought to grow to be the 52nd state — and that he needs to be its governor — it did not precisely go down properly.

"These phrases ... might have been spoken in a half-hearted method, however they're offensive to Iceland and Icelanders, who've needed to combat for his or her freedom and have at all times been pals of the USA," notes a petition circulating calling on Iceland’s overseas minister to reject William Lengthy's nomination as ambassador for the nation.

"That is after all not a very humorous joke in gentle of the dialogue that's at the moment occurring within the West Coast about Greenland, and in reality these are literally fairly severe feedback," Sigmar Guðmundsson, an Iceland MP, advised the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið on Thursday.

He, too, known as on Overseas Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir to reject Lengthy as ambassador, including the U.S. ought to "nominate one other one who reveals Iceland and Icelanders extra respect."

Iceland's overseas ministry advised Morgunblaðið on Thursday that it had contacted the U.S. Embassy in Iceland "to confirm the veracity of the alleged feedback."

CBC Information reached out to the U.S. State Division, the U.S. Embassy in Iceland and Iceland's Ministry of Overseas Affairs for remark and has not but heard again.

WATCH | European nations ship troops to Greenland: ‘Enormous tradition shift’ says Greenlandic journalist on European troop deployment | Hanomansing Tonight

Denmark has ramped up its Arctic safety by deploying troops to Greenland, together with a number of different European nations, sending a powerful message to U.S. President Donald Trump. The transfer comes a day after Denmark and Greenland famous there have been 'elementary variations' with the U.S. over its plans to take over the semi-autonomous Danish island. 'Nothing severe about that' Trump formally nominated Lengthy, a former member of the U.S. Home of Representatives for Missouri, for the place of Iceland ambassador on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, information web site Politico wrote in its morning e-newsletter that, "We heard that former Rep. Billy Lengthy, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland, joked to members on the ground final evening that Iceland would be the 52nd state and he’ll be governor."

Response within the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík, was swift. As of Friday, almost 5,000 individuals had signed the petition calling for Gunnarsdóttir to reject Lengthy's nomination. Iceland has a inhabitants of about 400,000 individuals.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A woman speaks at a podium." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/da4b50b0-4902-47b5-82e2-985f63f58d4d,1768588775228/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5439%2C3628%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/da4b50b0-4902-47b5-82e2-985f63f58d4d,1768588775228/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5439%2C3628%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/da4b50b0-4902-47b5-82e2-985f63f58d4d,1768588775228/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5439%2C3628%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/da4b50b0-4902-47b5-82e2-985f63f58d4d,1768588775228/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5439%2C3628%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.499173098125689" data-cy="image-img"/> Iceland's Overseas Affairs Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir addresses the United Nations Common Meeting in New York Metropolis on Sept. 27, 2025. A petition in Iceland is looking on her to reject the nomination of William Lengthy as Iceland ambassador. (Charly/Triballeau/AFP/Getty Photos) By Thursday, Lengthy apologized, telling Arctic At this time he made the feedback in jest in response to a joke about Jeff Landry — the U.S. particular envoy to Greenland — changing into governor of Greenland.

"There was nothing severe about that, I used to be with some individuals who I hadn’t met for 3 years, and so they had been kidding about Jeff Landry being governor of Greenland and so they began joking about me and if anybody took offence to it, then I apologize," Lengthy stated.

He added that he may perceive the response, given the tense state of affairs between Greenland and the U.S., however reiterated that his feedback had been a joke and nothing extra.

"I apologize it was taken that method, I used to be with a bunch of pals and there was nothing severe about it," Lengthy advised the information website.

Feedback are 'extraordinarily severe,' says MP Guðmundsson, the Iceland MP, advised Morgunblaðið that Lengthy's jokes sign a rising disrespect within the U.S. towards the sovereignty of smaller states.

"It goes with out saying that that is extraordinarily severe for a small nation like Iceland. We should notice that every one the safety arguments that the People make towards Greenland additionally apply to Iceland," he advised the information website.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to grab Greenland, an island nation northwest of Iceland. This week, he known as something lower than U.S. management of Greenland "unacceptable."

Trump has stated Greenland, which is a part of Denmark, is important to U.S. safety due to its strategic location and enormous provide of minerals and has not dominated out the usage of drive to take it. European nations this week despatched small numbers of army personnel to the island at Denmark's request.

Trump stated on Friday he might impose tariffs on nations that did not help his plan, "as a result of we'd like Greenland for nationwide safety."

In a press convention final Sunday about the way forward for Greenland, days earlier than Lengthy's feedback, Iceland's Overseas Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir advised reporters Iceland's relationship and co-operation with the U.S. is "wonderful."

"Are we frightened about being subsequent on the schedule? No, I would not assume so, not but at the very least," she stated.

WATCH | Trump stands agency on Greenland Takeover: The Nationwide | Trump stands agency on Greenland takeover

Jan. 14, 2026 | U.S. President Donald Trump stands agency on his Greenland takeover plan as a Danish delegation meets with officers in Washington. Quebec Premier François Legault steps down. And a spike in buyer complaints about their cellphone, web and tv companies. [ad_2] Source link