Trump Posts Photo Depicting Canada, Greenland as Part of US

After a several-month hiatus from suggesting Canada could become the “51st state,” U.S. President Donald Trump posted a photo on his Truth Social platform depicting Canada as part of the United States.

The Jan. 20 post shows a photo of a meeting held in the Oval Office between Trump and various heads of European nations in August 2025, where the U.S. president was showcasing a map of the conflict in Ukraine. But the post had been doctored to show a map of North America, where American flags are overlaid on Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, and Cuba.

Separately, Trump posted a photo depicting himself raising a U.S. flag in Greenland alongside U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with Trump holding a sign reading, “Greenland, U.S. Territory, Est. 2026.”

Trump’s posts come as he is set to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, alongside other world leaders on Jan. 21.

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly commented on his desire to acquire Greenland, saying the United States needs the arctic island of 57,000 for “national security.” He previously also hinted that he may take action against communist-ruled Cuba after a successful Jan. 3 U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The U.S. president toned down his comments about making Canada into the “51st State” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down in early 2025 and Mark Carney became Liberal leader, before being elected prime minister. The last time Trump mentioned Canada joining the United States was to military officers in Virginia on Sept. 30, 2025, where he said Canada wanted to join the “Golden Dome” air defence system, but they could instead “become the 51st state, and you get it for free.’”

Trump also used a seemingly joking reference to the term “governor” with Carney during a summit of global leaders in Egypt in October 2025. Trump said his error in addressing Carney as “president” during his speech was significantly better than referring to him as a “governor,” as he had called Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau, in reference to being “governor” if Canada were to become the 51st U.S. state.

During Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 20, he said that “great powers” were using economic integration as “weapons,” without mentioning the United States directly. 

“Canadians know that our old, comfortable assumption that our geography and alliance memberships automatically conferred prosperity and security is no longer valid,” Carney said, adding that countries must now develop greater autonomy when it comes to their energy, food, critical minerals, and trade.

The United States has imposed a wide array of tariffs on Canada, prompting the Liberal government to seek the expansion of non-U.S. trade. Carney recently completed a trip to China, where Ottawa agreed to reduce tariffs on Chinese EVs from 100 percent to the “most-favoured-nation” tariff rate of 6.1 percent on 49,000 EVs per year, while expecting Beijing to lower tariffs on Canadian agriculture and seafood products.

In his comments on acquiring Greenland over national security issues, Trump has said that China and Russia have ambitions to acquire the territory, and that Denmark is unable to defend it.

After several European countries sent troops to take part in military exercises in Greenland, Trump said he would introduce 10 percent tariffs on imports from those countries, which he said would increase to 25 percent on June 1, and would remain in effect “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

“Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet,” Trump said in a Jan. 17 Truth Social post.

Trump said on Jan. 20 that he had a “very good” telephone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte concerning Greenland, and that he will meet with various parties at the World Economic Forum.

Carney told the Davos audience that Canada will continue supporting Denmark and Greenland and “fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future.”