Greenland’s public broadcaster has been polling residents’ opinions on US President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal to buy the autonomous Danish territory – and some of their responses may raise some eyebrows.
While some of those interviewed described Trump’s interest as “dangerous” and “worrying,” others suggested they could “have more confidence in Trump” and “choose the US.”
The interviews conducted by Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) on Wednesday came a day after a press conference in which Trump reiterated his desire to gain control over the vast Arctic island and told journalists he would not rule out resorting to coercion military or economic to achieve its objective. The statements also come in the midst of a highly publicized trip to the island by Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
Some residents interviewed by KNR criticized Trump Sr.’s comments, saying they would prefer the island to remain under Danish control.
“I see Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland as very dangerous,” said Greenlandic Jens Danielsen.
“We are so few inhabitants, less than 100,000, that I fear that our language will disappear very quickly, so (I would prefer) to be under the control of Denmark, because the relationship between the Greenlanders and the Danes works well as it is,” he added.
Danielsen said he was also concerned about suggestions that Trump might be interested in gaining control over Greenland to extract uranium and raw materials. “If that’s why he’s interested, it’s worrying,” he said.
On Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. “needs” Greenland “for economic security,” but some experts suggested he may also be eyeing the island’s treasure trove of natural resources — including rare metals — that could become more accessible as climate change melts the territory’s ice.
“Maybe I would trust Trump more”
But others interviewed by KNR seemed more open to Trump’s proposals.
“Everything is getting more and more expensive here. Products from Denmark are extremely expensive, so of course the US looks more appealing,” said cleaning assistant Karen Kielsen.
Others saw the debate in light of the island’s independence movement.
Student Imaakka Boassen said: “I don’t completely trust the Danes. Maybe I would trust Trump more.”
“There are so many Danes in leadership positions in Greenland, but when we live in Greenland, it should be Greenlanders who lead,” he added.
Another resident, Anguteq Larsen, told KNR that he would prefer Greenland to be independent, without having to depend on Denmark or the US.
Danish, American… or neither?
While the public gave a mixed response to the KNR poll, officials in Greenland and Denmark have largely rejected Trump’s desire to acquire the Arctic island — although several Danish officials told CNN they fear the new president is now more serious about the idea. than when he presented it in his first term.
Both Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen have said in the past that the island is “not for sale and will never be for sale,” while Egede posted on Facebook on Tuesday that “ Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.”
However, despite these rebuttals, the debate over Greenland’s future has been roiled by growing speculation about its independence movement.
In his recent New Year’s speech, Greenland’s prime minister stated that the island should free itself “from the shackles of colonialism” – although the speech did not mention the United States.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said at a news conference on Wednesday that the issue of independence should be viewed separately from Trump’s comments.
“We fully recognize that Greenland has its own ambitions. If these come to fruition, Greenland will become independent, although hardly with the ambition of becoming a federal state within the United States,” said Rasmussen.
The debate was also raised by Trump Jr.’s visit. – who arrived in Greenland on Tuesday in what Danish authorities said was not “an official American visit” – and was photographed being greeted by crowds wearing hats bearing his father’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) slogan.
Speaking to CNN’s Erin Burnett on Tuesday, Danish MP Aaja Chemnitz insisted that these images were not representative of the wider community and said that some residents would be talking about leaving Greenland if Trump’s ambitions come to fruition.
While there is no easy way to gauge what most Greenland residents think of Trump’s ideas, Chemnitz suggested holding a referendum on Greenland’s independence in the future and that closer collaboration with the U.S. on business matters, defense, raw materials and tourism could result from this.
But even that scenario would fall short of Trump’s vision, Chemnitz added.
“So Greenland is not MAGA and Greenland is not going to be MAGA,” he said.
*Li-lian Ahlskog, Kim Norgaard and Laura Paddison contributed to this report
