Former Rep. Billy Long, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to be ambassador to Iceland, has apologized after privately telling House lawmakers that the Arctic island would become the “52nd state” with him as governor.
Long, a Republican who represented Missouri from 2011 to 2023 and served a brief stint as IRS commissioner last year, said he was just joking with his former colleagues in Congress.
“There was nothing serious about that. I was with some people I hadn’t met in three years, and they were joking that Jeff Landry was governor of Greenland and they started making fun of me. If anyone was offended by that, I apologize,” Long told Arctic Today.
“I apologize and that is my only comment. I look forward to working with the people of Iceland and I am sorry it was taken that way. I was with a group of friends and there was nothing serious about it,” he added.
SAVING LAWGISLATIVES PROPOSED A LAW TO BLOCK MILITARY ACTION AGAINST NATO MEMBERS AGAINST THREAT TO TAKE GREENLAND
Former Rep. Billy Long apologized after privately joking that the Arctic island would become the “52nd state” with him as governor. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Trump recently appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland.
This comes as Trump steps up his threats to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory, saying he plans to take the island “one way or another.”
“We’re going to do something about Greenland whether they like it or not,” Trump said last week. “Because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we won’t have Russia or China as a neighbor.”
Trump administration officials are openly weighing options such as military force to take Greenland, a move that would be inconsistent with the situation Article V of NATOstating that an attack on one member is an attack on them all and could end the alliance of over 75 years.
TRUMP’S TAKEOVER OF GREENLAND WOULD END NATO, CONSCIOUSLY DENMARK
Billy Long represented Missouri from 2011 to 2023 and served a brief stint as IRS commissioner last year. (Getty Images)
Denmark and other European countries have taken steps including sending additional troops to Greenland in the event of a US invasion, supporting the region as the country reaffirms its stance against joining the US. Iceland is among NATO members resisting Trump’s repeated threats to take Greenland.
On Capitol Hill, most Democrats and even some Republicans have opposed the idea of taking Greenland, while other Republicans have expressed support for pursuing closer ties with the area, including Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who has introduced legislation to make it the 51st U.S. state, though he said the best way to acquire Greenland is voluntarily.
Trump has also said he wants to make Canada the 51st US state.
Long was visiting former colleagues on the House Floor earlier this week when he made the controversial comment about Iceland, prompting a minor diplomatic backlash, with the Icelandic Foreign Ministry demanding answers from the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík.
Former Rep. Billy Long was visiting former colleagues on the House Floor when he made the controversial comment about Iceland. (Getty Images)
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“There is no doubt that this is very serious for a small country like Iceland,” Icelandic MP Sigmar Guðmundsson told MBL. “We need to understand that all the US security arguments regarding Greenland also apply to Iceland.”
Some Icelanders also launched a petition calling on their government to reject Long as ambassador if he is confirmed by the US Senate. The petition has attracted 2,000 signatures.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico that Long was “probably having some fun” and “I wouldn’t read too much into that.”
