White House has engaged in a cryptic online post, leveraging a viral internet meme to signal a renewed focus on acquiring Greenland from Denmark.
US President Donald Trump, whose longstanding ambition to purchase Greenland is well-documented, entered the digital trend surrounding the so-called “Nihilist Penguin” or “Wandering Penguin” meme.
The official White House account shared an AI-generated visual depicting President Trump walking beside a penguin towards snow-capped mountains. In the image, the penguin carries the US flag, while the mountains display the flag of Greenland, captioned: “Embrace The Penguin.”
Embrace the penguin. pic.twitter.com/kKlzwd3Rx7
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 23, 2026
The meme originates from footage in Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary, Encounters at the End of the World, which shows an Adelie penguin breaking from its colony and heading inland towards the Antarctic, not Greenland.
Following the post, social media users were quick to note a factual inaccuracy, pointing out that penguins are native to the Southern Hemisphere and do not inhabit the Arctic, with many criticising the error.
This stunt follows a series of AI-generated images shared by President Trump on his Truth Social platform. Days earlier, he posted a picture showing himself, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio standing next to a sign declaring “Greenland – US territory est 2026.”
Another altered image portrayed an expanded US map incorporating Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela, superimposed on a photograph from his August 2025 meeting with European leaders.
President Trump has actively revived his pursuit of Greenland since taking office last year, intensifying his rhetoric in recent weeks. This includes threatening tariffs on several European nations. During his address at Davos on Wednesday, he continued to push the agenda before meeting NATO leadership to discuss an undefined new deal.
When questioned on Thursday about the potential cost of such an acquisition, President Trump stated, ”We’re going to not have to pay anything other than the fact that we are building the Golden Dome.”
He asserted that any agreement would grant ”total access” to Greenland, including for military purposes, claiming, ”We’re getting everything we want at no cost.”
