Trump’s AI Map Suggesting US Control Over Greenland and Canada Sparks Debate on Arctic Strategy

President Donald Trump has sparked international scrutiny by sharing altered images on social media. The posts depict Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as US territories, reviving his long-standing interest in acquiring Greenland.

Former US President Donald Trump has reignited tensions over Arctic strategy and territorial ambitions by sharing altered images on his social media platform, Truth Social, that depict Greenland, Canada and even Venezuela as part of the United States -- an act that has drawn widespread international scrutiny.

The images, likely AI-generated or heavily edited, include one showing Trump posing with NATO leaders in the Oval Office beside a map of an expanded United States that incorporates these three territories.

In another, he is shown with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting a US flag in Greenland with a marker reading “Greenland - US Territory Est. 2026.”

Trump has long voiced interest in bringing Greenland under US control, a concept dating back to his first presidency, when he famously floated buying the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

His renewed push framed as essential for national and global security -- comes amid heightened geopolitical competition in the Arctic, where Russia and China maintain strategic interests. In posts accompanying the map, Trump referenced a recent phone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and insisted that “there can be no going back” on efforts to secure Greenland’s future under US influence.

Critics argue that Trump’s provocative imagery blurs fiction and policy, raising questions about how seriously territory expansion is being pursued. Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected the notion of ceding sovereignty.

Recent statements by Greenlandic leaders assert their preference to remain tied to Denmark and NATO, emphasising self-determination over foreign acquisition.

The timing coincides with US military activity in the region, including planned deployment of North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft to Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base -- moves Washington says are part of long-planned defence operations. Trump has also threatened tariffs against Denmark and other European allies should they resist selling Greenland, claiming rivalry with China and Russia necessitates American control.

The viral images have provoked diplomatic unease, fuelled online debate, and revitalised global discussion about Arctic sovereignty, leaving many observers uncertain whether Trump’s posts signal genuine policy direction or symbolic political posturing.