White House Penguin Meme on Greenland Draws Global Mockery

US President Donald Trump has once again brought Greenland into the spotlight, this time through a viral meme rather than official statements. Trump, who has previously expressed interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark, joined an online trend featuring the “Nihilist Penguin” meme.

The meme, which originated from Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World, shows an Adelie penguin leaving its colony and wandering into the Antarctic. Over the years, it evolved into the “Nihilist Penguin” or “Lonely Penguin” meme.

Leaning into the trend, the White House shared an AI-generated image showing Trump walking alongside a penguin toward icy mountains. In the image, the penguin carries the US flag while the mountains show the Greenland flag, with the caption: “Embrace The Penguin.”

However, the post quickly drew criticism online. Penguins do not live in the Arctic, and many users called the post “embarrassing.” Journalist Pippa Crerar tweeted, “You don't get penguins in the Arctic.” Others mocked the penguin’s size and stride, while some edited the image to replace the penguin with a polar bear.

This is not the first time Trump has shared AI images related to Greenland. Recently, he posted pictures showing himself, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio next to an American flag and a sign claiming Greenland as a US territory. Another image showed an expanded US map including Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela.

Trump began promoting the idea of acquiring Greenland after taking office, intensifying his remarks recently. He even threatened a 10% tariff on eight European countries, raising investor concerns. Speaking at Davos, he outlined plans for a new deal granting “total access” to Greenland, claiming the US would get everything “at no cost” except building the “Golden Dome.”

The meme post and AI images have sparked widespread discussion and jokes online, highlighting the unusual mix of politics and internet culture in Trump’s Greenland campaign.