Former US president Donald Trump made a series of controversial jokes about territorial expansion during a closed-door dinner attended by members of Washington’s political and business elite. According to The WP Times, citing The Washington Post, Trump spoke at the annual Alfalfa Club dinner in Washington, a traditionally private event known for off-the-record speeches and satirical remarks.
While addressing an audience of senior politicians, business leaders and influential figures, Trump jokingly referred to the idea of “new US states”, naming Greenland, Canada and Venezuela. Trump said the United States would not invade Greenland, but would instead seek to buy it — a reference to his long-standing public interest in the Arctic island.
“We’re not going to invade Greenland. We’re going to buy it,” Trump said.
He then added, continuing in a humorous tone:
“I never planned to make Greenland the 51st state. I want Canada to be the 51st state. Greenland will be the 52nd state. And Venezuela could be the 53rd.” The remarks triggered mixed reactions among those present. While some guests laughed, observers noted prolonged pauses and moments of silence in the room, suggesting that parts of the audience found the comments uncomfortable or politically sensitive.
As reported by The Washington Post, the jokes were delivered in a setting traditionally associated with irony and exaggeration. However, given Trump’s past statements on territorial matters, the remarks attracted particular attention from both supporters and critics.
Trump has previously made hyperbolic or tongue-in-cheek comments regarding borders and sovereignty. During his presidency, he publicly expressed interest in purchasing Greenland and has repeatedly joked about Canada’s status, although no formal initiatives were ever pursued. During the same speech, Trump also made several characteristic jokes about political opponents and briefly mentioned the possibility of legal action against the newly appointed head of the Federal Reserve — later clarifying that this comment, too, was intended as a joke.
The dinner took place amid a tense political climate in the United States. Over the past week, Trump’s administration has faced criticism over the arrest of a journalist, the publication of millions of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, and other high-profile political controversies.
Earlier on 1 February, Trump claimed that a framework agreement for the US purchase of Greenland was allegedly close to completion. However, Greenland’s economy minister, Naaja Nathanielsen, previously dismissed those claims, stating that no such agreement exists and that any discussions would require an official dialogue process. It is also worth noting that on 20 January, Trump shared an image on social media depicting Greenland, Canada and Venezuela coloured in the US flag — a post that further fuelled debate around the former president’s remarks.
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