On a Monday morning Finland time, U.S. President Donald Trump shared a manipulated image on his Truth Social platform, featuring him alongside several European leaders from an August meeting. The photo shows Trump in the Oval Office, positioned with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The image also includes a modified map where the American flag obscures Venezuela, Greenland, and Canada, which diverges from the original that displayed a map of Ukraine.

This is not the first instance of Trump circulating this particular manipulated image on social media; he initially shared it on January 20. At that time, he also uploaded another image depicting him planting the U.S. flag in Greenland alongside Vice President J. D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The commentary surrounding these images highlights Trump's controversial use of imagery to convey political messages, often using satire and manipulation to provoke reactions.

The implications of Trump's actions extend beyond mere social media theatrics; they reflect his ongoing engagement with European leaders and his framing of international relationships, particularly as they relate to U.S. foreign policy. The continued use of altered imagery raises questions about the ethical boundaries of political communication, media manipulation, and how these representations influence public perception, both domestically in the U.S. and internationally, in relation to America's standing within global politics.