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    Iceland Roundup #49: Iceland To Become The 52nd State, Greenland Tariffs, Prostitution & Immigration



    Iceland Roundup #49: Iceland To Become The 52nd State, Greenland Tariffs, Prostitution & Immigration

    The Reykjavík Grapevine’s Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are:

    US Ambassador Makes An Impression
    US ambassadorial nominee Billy Long, made another joke, endearing him to the Icelandic nation prior to his arrival as ambassador. Last time he made the joke that he had wanted to manage ICE, but had been misheard by Trump and instead appointed ambassador to Iceland. Last week in congress, Billy was overheard joking that he was going to become Iceland’s first governor, instead of ambassador, as Iceland became the USA’s 52nd state. This did not vote well with the Icelandic public, presuming that Greenland would become the 51st state.

    Attempt At Soliciting Prostitutions Leads MP To Resign
    Guðbrandur Einarsson, an MP for Viðreisn (the Reform Party), has resigned from Parliament due to an attempted purchase of prostitution in 2012. He was questioned by police at the time but says he was never charged. He decided to step down after local news outlet Vísir planned to report on the case.

    Greenland Drama Continues
    In an effort to put pressure on fellow NATO allies in his continued effort of gobbling up Greenland, President Trump put tariffs on all the Scandinavian countries, Germany, France and the Netherlands, but not Iceland. Promoting suggestions that Trump simply forgot Iceland.

    Foreign citizens 20% of Iceland’s population
    Foreign citizens living in Iceland are now 83.950, or just above 20% of the total population. Five years ago, they were 15%. The proportion of foreign nationals living in some municipalities reaches almost 70%, that is 67,4% in Vík í Myrdal, 46% in Skaftárhreppur, and 39% in Bláskógabyggð. All these municipalities are in the South of Iceland, all are popular tourist destinations. According to Statistics Iceland, at least 44% of the people working in the tourism sector, are foreign nationals.

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    23 Comments

    3. @diannejohnson6707 on

      I don't think Billy Long actually apologized for what he said. He said he was sorry if anyone was offended. Not the same thing. How do we cope with everything that is going on? Some of us protest; some of us stay in close touch with our neighbors to be sure they are ok; we don't really know what to do. But when the time comes, we will vote.

    8. @Clarice007 on

      26:33 The way that Jón says "oh", when Aðalsteinn says the name of the union…. ps I still think you should have grapevine merch in the background. just one or two lovely pieces. you will see your sales go up!

    9. @cecile3414 on

      If you can get Billy Long on the show AND manage to place "Quiet, Piggy!" in the conversation, I will buy your largest curated box in the RG store.

    11. @cgoodson2010 on

      I'm visiting your amazing country for the second time in March 2026. From an American who is beyond embarrassed and enraged by the US administration's insane actions, I do not support in ANY form or fashion what the US administration is doing! ❤ Iceland!!

    16. @virkjun on

      So, fascism is a dictatorship that makes decisions on a whim…and there is no dictatorship that isn’t fascist? Fascism is bad and is a type of dictatorship, but there are certainly other kinds of dictatorships and I think they are all bad. So many people these days are ideologically possessed in various ways and the ideologically possessed believe their view of the world is correct and they are enlightened. Please, don’t get swept up and start carelessly jumping on bandwagons and throwing around words and labels recklessly without even knowing the meaning of those words because you’re all fired up. I feel so disheartened listening to people on the “left” and the “right” both talking so arrogantly in their own way. Please, take a break from the news and find inner peace so that you can live in and respond to the world in a level headed manner. Hahaha. Oh my god. I come to watch a show about Iceland and Björk’s son is wondering if any fascists watch the show…what in the world kind of question is that? Yes…fascists who are Iceland nerds watch your show…sneaky fascists everywhere skulking about! Oh my goodness. PS: can’t wait for the Björk exhibit in Iceland and her new album! For real! Talk about THAT on your show. Something good. Geeze. Hahaha

    17. @madmadnessify on

      Poland isn’t that bad. You should actually visit Poland someday and let go of those prejudices and stereotypes that Eastern Europe is some hopeless wasteland where people are so desperate they flee even to Iceland, even if you meant it sarcastically. Of course, there was an economic and historical aspect to this kind of migration to Iceland but apparently that’s less interesting than the fantasy that people are running away from total collapse. What’s usually ignored is the clear bias in how migration is discussed: when people from Western countries move to Iceland or Scandinavia in general, it’s described as a lifestyle choice – a search for nature, balance, or personal fulfillment. When Poles do the same, it’s automatically framed as economic desperation or an attempt to flee their own country. Poles are no longer the “cheap workers from the East” that the West – or Iceland – once needed so badly. Some of them are now returning from migration after earning their money as so-called cheap labour, because it turns out you don’t have to stay abroad forever once you’ve built some stability back home. In a country of around 40 million people, it really shouldn’t be shocking that some simply choose different places around the world to live, not because they’re escaping misery, but because that’s how migration works.

    18. @thekaylers on

      Shout out for Newfoundland 😂 Also I would be more than happy for Canada to be part of Iceland. 🤩 I plan trips to cope with the state of the world, and hope that I can still travel to them by the time I go there.

    19. @DreamChaserEiRi on

      Northern lights are special, because they are in Iceland, like biggest mountain in Iceland is special, because it is in Iceland, doesn't matter it is small, but it is in middle of Arctic Ocean. To see eazy acesible borealis is like bang slut behind garbage container, but see hardly available Northern lihts is like to have Prime class escort in the best VIP area. So apreciate that, people apreciate that, please.
      .

    21. @heidimunc302 on

      Thank goodness for your show! Every week I look forward to it as a distraction from all the crazy that is coming out of my country right now. That and travel. Visiting other countries is a great escape. I’ll be back in Iceland in August for the eclipse. But between now and then, I need to take a few more trips so I remain sane.

    22. @bobby49ist on

      Iceland to become 52nd state NAHHH it ain't gonna become 53nd state si ce greenland what a laughing joke I don't believe that for a second but i.just say who knows

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