24.01.2026 09:40
The White House aimed to convey a message of "Greenland" with an AI-generated image themed around Trump and the "Nihilist Penguin," but it became a subject of ridicule on social media due to penguins not living in Greenland. Users commented, "Shameful mistake."
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has once again brought its controversial approach to Greenland to the forefront with a striking visual shared on social media. The AI-generated image shared on an official White House account quickly became a subject of mockery and criticism.
"EMBRACE THE PENGUIN" POST
The post featured an AI-supported image of Donald Trump walking with a penguin in an ice-covered landscape. While the background implied scenes belonging to Greenland, the post was published with the note "Embrace the penguin."
THE ORIGIN OF THE MEME: NIHILIST PENGUIN
The penguin figure used in the post is based on the famous director Werner Herzog's documentary "Encounters at the End of the World." The film features a solitary Adélie penguin walking towards the unknown after leaving its colony. Over the years, this scene has transformed into a meme known as "Nihilist Penguin," becoming an element of internet culture that symbolizes existential disconnection, meaninglessness, and rebellion.
SUBJECT OF MOCKERY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The post quickly resonated widely on social media. Many X users mocked the image by reminding that penguins do not live in Greenland. Users made numerous humorous posts emphasizing that penguins live in Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere, not in Greenland in the Northern Hemisphere. Some users described the White House's mistake as "embarrassing."
EMPHASIS ON GREENLAND'S STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
Beyond the humor and criticism created by the visual, the post brought back a message that the Trump administration has long advocated. Throughout his term, Donald Trump frequently stated that Greenland is of vital strategic importance to the U.S. He argued that the island is critical for American national security due to its location in the Arctic region and its increasing geopolitical significance.