Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US Ambassador to Reykjavik on Tuesday, following the former President Donald Trump's publication of a social media map that appeared to incorporate the island into US territory. In a statement, Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin
Gunnarsdottir clarified that she had summoned the ambassador yesterday to deliver a clear message: the image was "absolutely inappropriate." On Monday, Trump had shared an image across his social media platforms featuring a map depicting countries such as Canada, Greenland, Mexico,
and Iceland, all rendered in the colors of the American flag. This action is part of a broader context of Trump's expansionist ambitions, which have extended beyond mere statements regarding Greenland or Canada. In recent times, maps and posts have
emerged, reflecting an expanded vision of US influence in the Western Hemisphere. Specifically, on his "Truth Social" platform, Trump published an enlarged map of the United States, showing Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Mexico, Cuba, and parts of Central America and the Caribbean
within its geographical scope. However, the mere publication of this map does not signify an official declaration by Washington to annex these regions; rather, it falls within a series of statements and graphics that have sparked widespread controversy regarding Trump's
geographical and political ambitions, coinciding with a campaign to rename geographical locations with direct American connotations. These maps have been accompanied by previous practical steps to rename prominent geographical features. In August 2026, Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake
Ontario as "Lake America" for all federal government uses. Trump justified his decision at the time by citing the United States' pivotal role in protecting and investing in the Great Lakes region. As Lake Ontario is a shared body of
water between the United States and Canada, this decision provoked strong objections from the Canadian side. Earlier, during his second term, Trump had issued another order dictating the use of "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico" in all federal
American maps and references. This move became a concrete symbol of his policy aimed at reshaping geography in line with his "America First" slogan. In September this year, a more controversial proposal emerged when Trump posted an image of a map
of New Mexico, with the word "Mexico" crossed out and replaced with "America." It is important to note that the US administration has not announced any official decision to change the state's name, nor does a president possess the sole
authority to rename a state, as such an action requires complex constitutional and legislative procedures.
