Trump shares map with American flag covering North America and large parts of the Caribbean
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump shared a map on Truth Social showing virtually all of North America and a large portion of the Caribbean covered by the American flag. Trump posted the image without any text or explanation, leaving it unclear whether he intends to send a political message or is simply sharing a provocative image.
The map features the words United States of America in large letters across the North American continent. Not only the current United States, but also Canada, Mexico and Greenland fall within the area covered by the Stars and Stripes. Parts of Central America and a number of Caribbean islands are also depicted in American colors. The Gulf of Mexico is labeled on the map as the Gulf of America.
French media took notice of the image because French territories in the Caribbean are also shown under the American flag. France-Antilles mentions Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, among others. Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are also depicted as part of the American territory, according to the newspaper. Greenland, Iceland and the French territory of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon are visible near Canada as well.
Outremers360 reaches a similar conclusion, additionally naming Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and the Bahamas. The French outlet describes a map on which the United States visually stretches from Alaska to Central America and across the Caribbean.
No explanation
Trump himself wrote nothing to accompany the image. There is no call for annexation and the US government has announced no policy to incorporate the countries or islands depicted on the map into the United States. The image therefore cannot simply be read as an official territorial claim.
That distinction is relevant because Trump frequently shares politically charged or digitally altered images. Earlier the same morning, he posted several maps showing the US state of New Mexico renamed New America. The North American map followed almost immediately after, at 10:43 am Eastern Time.
At the same time, the image aligns with statements Trump has previously made about parts of the region. He has repeatedly expressed interest in Greenland and referred to Canada as a potential 51st American state. His administration also officially uses the name Gulf of America for the Gulf of Mexico.
Reactions in the region
The image has sparked reactions primarily in the French Caribbean. France-Antilles reports that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico is not a colony or protectorate of any other country. Iceland also reportedly objected to the image.
In France, opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon was among those to respond. He pointed out that French Caribbean territories are shown in American colors on the map and questioned why the French government has not reacted.
Dutch Caribbean not explicitly named
For Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius, the image is less clear-cut. Trump names no Caribbean island individually and the map is geographically too imprecise to identify all small islands separately. What is clear, however, is that a large portion of the Caribbean island arc is depicted in American colors.
