Social media users have ridiculed stumbling Donald Trump for repeatedly calling Greenland “Iceland” during his recent discussion about the territory. The U.S. President faced backlash for expressing his interest in acquiring the autonomous region from Denmark. While Mr. Trump’s press secretary claimed that some journalists misunderstood his statements, video footage from the conference in Davos clearly captures the moment when the world leader mistakenly mentioned “Iceland” instead of Greenland.
The blunder sparked a frenzy on social media, with users sharing memes and GIFs mocking the President. One American citizen remarked, “I prefer presidents who can differentiate between Greenland and Iceland.” California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, remarked that the politician had underperformed.
During his speech, Trump commented, “They’re not supportive of us on Iceland, that’s for sure. Our stock market took a hit yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a significant amount of money.” He also mentioned NATO’s positive response to his mention of Iceland in recent days, emphasizing that acquiring Greenland is a minor request compared to the longstanding support the U.S. has provided.
On Twitter, users reacted strongly to the mistake, with one person highlighting Trump’s repeated confusion between Greenland and Iceland. Another individual shared a map distinguishing the two locations. A journalist criticized Trump’s error and the awkward moment it created.
After the speech, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump on social media, claiming that the public and reporters had misunderstood the situation. Responding to criticism, Leavitt clarified that Trump’s written remarks referred to Greenland as a “piece of ice” due to its geographical nature. Social media users debated the incident, with some challenging the official explanation and urging others to watch the clip to form their own opinions.
