Beijing, January 25: China has trolled the Donald Trump administration after the White House shared an AI-generated image using a viral penguin meme to promote US ambitions in Greenland, sparking ridicule and online debate. The post, shared on the White House’s official X account, featured US President Donald Trump leading a penguin across an icy landscape toward Greenland, accompanied by the caption “Embrace the penguin.”

The Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua responded by pointing out that penguins do not live in Greenland or anywhere in the Arctic, highlighting what it described as a basic geographical error by the US administration. “Even if there are penguins in Greenland, it would be like this,” Xinhua wrote in their post, which included an AI-generated video of Trump, dressed in an Uncle Sam costume, dragging a resisting penguin on a leash, while carrying a baseball bat in the other hand. A Penguin in Greenland? Donald Trump’s Viral Arctic Meme Blunder.

China Trolls US President Donald Trump Over Viral Penguin Meme Amid Greenland Push

White House Meme Sparks Online Backlash

The original image shared by the White House showed an Adelie penguin, a species native to Antarctica, walking alongside Trump toward a Greenlandic flag. Penguins are found almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, with the Galapagos penguin being the only species that lives north of the equator. None inhabit Greenland, which lies firmly in the Arctic.

Xinhua seized on this point in its response, framing the post as emblematic of what it portrayed as American political ignorance. The outlet followed up with its own AI-generated video, depicting Trump dressed as Uncle Sam dragging a penguin on a leash, reinforcing its critical tone. Why Are There No Penguins in Greenland?

Origins of the ‘Nihilist Penguin’ Meme

The meme at the center of the dispute originates from German filmmaker Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World. A brief scene showing a penguin wandering away from its colony in Antarctica resurfaced online earlier this year and became known as the “Nihilist Penguin” meme.

Online users have interpreted the image in various ways, including as a symbol of existential isolation, nonconformity, or quiet rebellion. Its viral popularity has made it a frequent subject of humorous and philosophical posts across social media platforms.

The meme controversy comes amid heightened attention on Greenland following President Trump’s announcement that a “framework” agreement had been discussed with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. According to Trump, the proposed deal would grant the United States broad military access on the island and accelerate rights to mine rare earth minerals.

Reports suggest the framework includes provisions for US “sovereign base areas,” a move that has raised concerns among European allies and reignited debate over Greenland’s strategic importance.

Amid the growing tensions between the US and the European Union over Greenland, China has sought to distance itself from the dispute. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing has no intention of exploiting divisions between Western allies. “China follows an independent foreign policy of peace,” Guo said. “We conduct friendly exchanges with other countries based on mutual respect and equality.”

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 25, 2026 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).