A new White House meme depicting President Donald Trump crossing snow-covered ice in what’s supposed to be Greenland—alongside a penguin holding an American flag—has sparked a wave of reaction on social media Friday night.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The flare-up came as Trump continues U.S. pressure for control of the island in the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump said he would provide details on a proposed Greenland “framework” in “about two weeks,” amid scrutiny over sovereignty, defense posture and mineral access in the Arctic.
What To Know
NATO and Danish officials publicly signaled that sovereignty was not on the table, while Copenhagen emphasized that any security or economic talks must respect territorial integrity and Greenland’s role in decisions.
Trump linked the prospective arrangement to U.S. security and minerals, describing it as having “no time limit” and saying the United States could “do anything we want” militarily, without detailing the legal mechanism or specific terms.
In a post to X, the White House shared the image with the words, “Embrace the penguin.”
Former Canadian Minister of Defence and Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney reacted to the post, saying, “In the same week as his humiliating climb down on Greenland, he confused Iceland and Greenland multiple times, and now his staff is confusing Antarctica with Greenland (penguins inhabit the former, not the latter.) The most powerful nation on Earth being run like a clown show.”
X account Patriot Takes, with over 460,000 followers, said, “There are no penguins in Greenland. All Penguins live in the southern hemisphere except one species from the Galapagos Islands. Perhaps you shouldn’t have dismantled the Department of Education so quickly.”
X account Larry the Cat, with 875,000 followers, said, “Cat check: Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere”
Swedish economist Anders Åslund reacted on X, saying, “Trump wants to reconfirm once again that he is a complete idiot. Greenland harbors no penguins & Trump has no right to either Greenland or penguins. Is this really the white House? Then the White House is an ignorant joke.”
Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove on X Friday night said, “Antarctic penguins, not spared by remigration policy”
What Happens Next
Trump said he would have an update on the Greenland framework “in about two weeks,” indicating details could emerge in early February, though he did not specify the legal structure, negotiating parties or how sovereignty concerns would be addressed.
Update 1/23/26, 9:34 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
