Tensions are flaring again between the U.S. and Denmark and Greenland after President Donald Trump appointed a special envoy to the semi-autonomous island territory of Greenland, according to news reports, sparking a social media uproar after Trump bungled basic historical facts in his explanation f or why he wants to annex the vast Arctic region. A Greenland-obsessed Trump said during a Mar-a-Lago press briefing Monday, Dec. 22, a day after appointing Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy, that the U.S. needs Greenland for “national security” reasons. President Donald Trump announces the creation of the “Trump-class” battleship during a statement to the media at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on December 22, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) “We need Greenland for national protection,” Trump insisted, according to The Daily Beast. “They have a very small population. And I don’t know, they say Denmark, but Denmark has spent no money. They have no military protection.” “We need Greenland for national security,” Trump repeated. “And if you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he added, The Associated Press reported. ‘Diabolical’: Gavin Newsom Rips Into Trump and His Allies with a Brutal Holiday Greeting, But He Saved His Most Savage Message for Mike Johnson Then the president, true to form, went on an almost incoherent rant, fumbling historical facts and making insane comments as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Chief Pete Hegseth stood uncomfortably by. “They say that Denmark was there 300 years ago or something, with a boat,” a confused Trump insisted, before adding, “Well, we were there with boats, too, I’m sure.” View on Threads No, we weren’t. Trump is making a completely false statement in trying to justify his apparent plans to somehow annex the mineral-rich island territory. The U.S. wasn’t around 300 years ago, as Trump should well know, as he continues making plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday next year. “’America was there 300 years ago’ – Donald Trump, who threw a gigantic party for America’s 250th birthday earlier this year. It’s really very difficult to verbalize how stupid he is,” Threads user TobyBen 1472 proclaimed. Others zoomed in on Rubio’s face. “Is Rubio paranoid about being sighted by possible snipers, or is he hammered? Why is he moving around so much?” one Threads user observed. Others noticed Rubio fidgeting, too: “Rubio can’t stand still. The man has a problem.” “Hegseth and Rubio look very uncomfortable when it’s their turn to stand behind Trump. They can’t decide what facial expression to adopt,” one person wrote.“No sympathy for them. Dingbats,” another added. This isn’t the first time Trump has played fast and loose with historical facts, mangling basic knowledge of American history. During a Fourth of July speech in 2019, the President claimed that the Continental Army, established by the Continental Congress in 1775 to fight the British, “took over the airports” during the Revolutionary War. “In June of 1775, the Continental Congress created a unified Army out of the Revolutionary Forces encamped around Boston and New York,” the President stated. “… Our Army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do, and at Fort McHenry, under the rocket’s red glare it had nothing but victory. And when dawn came, their star-spangled banner waved defiant,” Trump squawked according to NBC Connecticut. Well, of course, there were no airplanes or airports in 1775. The Wright brothers invented the airplane in 1903. Earlier this year, during his transition and the early days of his second term, Trump repeatedly called for the U.S. to take over Greenland and has not denied that he could use military force to do so. European Union and Nordic officials, meanwhile, responded to Trump’s latest saber-rattling around forcibly grabbing Greenland. The prime minister of Greenland, a democracy within the European Union, said Trump’s threats to take over his island “may sound significant. But it changes nothing for us here at home,” the AP reported, adding that “we are happy to cooperate with other countries, including the United States, but this must always take place with respect for us and for our values and wishes.” European Union President Ursula von der Leyen said Greenland is a “key priority” for the bloc and noted that “territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.” “We stand in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland,” she said. It doesn’t sound like the EU is willing to give up Greenland in response to Trump’s threats. The real question is whether Trump is actually willing to use military force against a longtime key ally to invade a sovereign territory. ‘How Stupid He Is’: Trump Gets a Major Part of American History Wrong, and Keeps Going, But Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio’s Faces Say It All ...read more read less