President Trump Suggested Iceland Become 51st U.S. State in 2024 Call
President Trump reportedly suggested that Iceland become the 51st U.S. state during an informal phone call with then-Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson in November 2024. The call, which occurred four days before Iceland's parliamentary election, was not routed through regular diplomatic channels, and U.S. government officials were reportedly unaware of it. According to sources who have read a memo of the conversation, President Trump initially made the suggestion in a joking tone, referencing his friends' and family's interest in Iceland. However, he then urged Benediktsson to seriously consider the idea after the election. Public accounts of the call at the time focused on President Trump's interest in Iceland as a tourist destination and its culture. The Icelandic Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs have refused to release the memo, citing potential damage to mutual trust and Iceland's interests. This incident follows a similar suggestion made by President Trump to then-Canadian ...
