By Al Mayadeen English Source: Politico
Jan 15, 2026
The quip, reported by Politico, comes as the former congressman takes up a key diplomatic post, reviving debate over tone, experience, and US conduct toward smaller allies.
The incoming US ambassador to Iceland reportedly joked that the Nordic island could become the 52nd state of the United States, with himself serving as its governor, according to Politico.
Citing conversations on the House floor, Politico reported, “We heard that former Rep. Billy Long, Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland, joked to members on the floor last night that Iceland will be the 52nd state and he’ll be governor.”
Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri, was nominated by US President Donald Trump to serve as ambassador to Iceland following a turbulent period in his recent public service career.
Last August, Long was removed from his brief tenure as head of the Internal Revenue Service, just two months after assuming the role. His appointment to the tax agency had drawn criticism over his lack of relevant experience, making his dismissal controversial from the outset.
On the same day as his removal from the IRS, the White House announced that Trump had selected Long for the Iceland ambassadorship. In November 2025, the Department of State formally vetted him as qualified for the position.
The US Senate confirmed his nomination on January 13, 2026, appointing him Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of Iceland.
Iceland seeks clarification after Trump ally jokes about 52nd state
In response, Iceland has formally sought clarification from the United States after a remark by Trump’s nominee for ambassador sparked public anger and diplomatic unease in Reykjavík, Politico reported.
“The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has contacted the US Embassy in Iceland to verify the veracity of the alleged comments,” Iceland’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Politico.
“These words of Billy Long, who Donald Trump has nominated as ambassador to Iceland, may have been said in half-hearted terms, but they are insulting to Iceland and Icelanders, who have had to fight for their freedom and have always been a friend of the United States,” the petition states.
It adds, “We want Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir to reject Billy Long as ambassador to Iceland and call for the United States to nominate another man who will show Iceland and Icelanders more respect.”
The episode comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions over Greenland, the self-governing Danish territory that Trump has said the United States “has to have for national security,” refusing to rule out the use of military force. European leaders have voiced strong backing for Greenlanders, who have repeatedly rejected the idea of becoming American, while working to defuse a confrontation that Denmark has warned could fracture the transatlantic NATO alliance.
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