Trump shared a manipulated map portraying all of North America, from Greenland to Nicaragua, as US territory. The image was published on his Truth Social account last Monday with no description.
Paul Balawajder, analyst of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), described this as part of Trump’s approach to diplomacy, where domestic political messaging and signals to foreign governments can overlap.
However, Balawajder noted that the Greenland issue is more than just symbolism, but also caused real tension in the transatlantic relationships and raised concerns among the European countries.
Last Sunday, the U.S. president shared a map of New Mexico with “Mexico” crossed out and replaced with “America”, drawing criticism from the New Mexico Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. Earlier this month, Trump officially renamed Lake Ontario as “Lake America”.
Balawajder explained that Trump can influence what U.S. federal institutions name places, but that doesn’t change their legal status and it doesn’t impose these names internationally.
In his opinion, Trump’s actions have a political dimension, rather than them being an attempt to redefine the history and identity of certain territories.
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and restoring the name Mount McKinley to Denali.
Balawajder commented that he didn’t see a direct link between those moves and the November 2026 US midterm elections. They fit into the communication aimed at the domestic electorate, allowing Trump to emphasise American strength and rally his supporters around symbolic messages, he added.
(sp/jh)
Source: PAP