Iceland Engages DC Lobbyist Following Trump's Greenland Mix-Up

In a surprising move, Reykjavík has enlisted the services of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm after President Donald Trump muddled the identities of Greenland and Iceland during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year.

Trump's repeated mix-ups were evident as he addressed European leaders, mistakenly referencing Iceland when discussing Greenland, a territory he has long expressed interest in acquiring for the United States. His rationale? A claim that Greenland is vital for national security, citing threats from Russia and China.

During his remarks, Trump stated, “They’re not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you,” while it was actually Greenland that drew the ire of European officials, who asserted in a statement that the island “belongs to its people.”

In response to the confusion, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt inaccurately asserted that Trump did not confuse the two territories in his speech.

A recent newsletter from The Bulwark disclosed that Iceland’s ambassador to the U.S., Svanhildur Hólm Valsdóttir, has contracted the lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to offer strategic advice on engaging with the U.S. government.

The Bulwark referenced a Department of Justice filing from last Wednesday, which included a letter from attorney Jason Buckner detailing their agreement. This contract stipulates a monthly retainer of $25,000 for six months.

The filing elaborated on the firm's role in assisting Iceland's government, which includes facilitating introductions to U.S. government stakeholders and providing “constructive feedback on emerging priorities” relevant to Iceland.

While it remains uncertain if this new lobbying relationship directly stems from Trump’s comments, The Bulwark highlighted the timing as particularly noteworthy. The agreement was finalized just a week after Trump’s Davos speech, where he confused the two nations.

Additionally, earlier in January, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, made light of the situation by joking with former House colleagues that Iceland could become America’s 52nd state with him as its governor. Long later expressed regret for his remarks, clarifying to Arctic Today that his comments were made in jest among friends and were not meant to offend.