Thousands of individuals signed a petition expressing concern after Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, reportedly made a comment suggesting Iceland could become the 52nd US state. The news outlet Politico reported these remarks, noting they occurred shortly before officials from Greenland and Denmark were scheduled to meet with the US regarding an unrelated matter concerning Greenland.
Iceland's foreign ministry initiated contact with the US embassy to verify the reported comments. The petition, addressed to Iceland's foreign minister, criticized Long's statement, asserting that even if intended as a jest, it was offensive to Iceland and its populace, who have historically championed their freedom and maintained a friendly relationship with the United States. Within hours, more than 3,200 people had signed the petition, advocating for the US to nominate an individual who demonstrates greater respect for Iceland and its people.
Long reportedly apologized for his remarks in an interview with Arctic Today, a news website covering the region. He stated that the comments were made informally as part of a jesting conversation with others who were discussing Trump’s US special envoy to Greenland. Long acknowledged understanding why his comments might have caused offense but maintained they were not intended seriously. He expressed regret for the way the comments were perceived and indicated his intent to collaborate with the people of Iceland.
Sigmar GuĂ°mundsson, an Icelandic MP from the Liberal Reform party, characterized the remarks as an "unfunny joke" in light of current tensions surrounding Greenland. He highlighted the seriousness of such comments for a small nation like Iceland, drawing parallels between the security arguments the US uses for Greenland and those applicable to Iceland due to their strategic geographical positions. GuĂ°mundsson interpreted the comments as a manifestation of growing disrespect in the US towards the sovereignty of smaller nations and stressed the importance for Iceland to evaluate its security interests in a changing global landscape, even within its friendly relations with the US and NATO.