Residents of Iceland have expressed anger after U.S. Ambassador to Iceland nominee Rep. Billy Long joked that the country should become the 52nd U.S. state.

Long, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, was overheard by Politico journalists earlier this week while speaking to former colleagues on the House floor, suggesting that Iceland would become the 52nd state of the United States.

In response, Iceland’s Foreign Ministry contacted the U.S. Embassy for clarification. “The Ministry for Foreign Affairs contacted the U.S. Embassy in Iceland to verify the veracity of the alleged comments,” the ministry said.

Following the remarks, a petition was launched in Iceland calling on the country’s foreign minister, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, to reject Long’s appointment as ambassador.

“These words, spoken by Billy Long, whom Donald Trump has nominated as ambassador to Iceland, may have been said in jest. Still, they are offensive to Iceland and the Icelandic people, who have had to fight for their freedom and have always been a friend to the United States,” the petition stated.