Greenland’s prime minister has called for unity and calm after Donald Trump reheated his global row with Nato allies on Tuesday, when the US president-elect said he was prepared to use tariffs or military force to seize control of Greenland.
The comments led the Greenlandic prime minister, Múte Egede, to say: “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, said on Thursday that the US seizure of Greenland is “not going to happen”, while Germany and France have warned Trump over annexation.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr flew into the territory, which has a population of 57,000, pledging to “make Greenland great again”. Trump began the dispute in 2019, saying he was considering a bid for Greenland and describing it as “essentially a real estate deal”.
A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland is now a self-governing territory of Denmark and in 2009 achieved the right to claim independence through a vote. During the second world war Greenland was occupied by the US – while Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany – but it was returned to Denmark in 1945. The US maintains a military base in the north-west of the country.
Trump’s comments on acquiring or annexing Greenland come amid a debate around the territory’s potential independence from Denmark. Egede, the prime minister, supports independence, and a 2019 poll from academics at the University of Copenhagen found that 67.7% of Greenlandic adults wanted independence from Denmark at some point in the future.
Scores of Greenlanders responded to a Guardian request for their views about Trump’s advances.
‘Our country is ours – it’s not for sale’
“Our country is ours – it’s not for sale. Trump says a lot of things that aren’t very serious, but now it’s become quite scary. Seeing a Boeing 757 with ‘Trump’ written on it at Nuuk airport [when Trump Jr visited on Tuesday], I couldn’t believe what was happening. It was a very surreal experience.
“Talk of annexing us is both terrifying and ridiculous. If he used military force, that would mean going to war with the rest of Nato, and implementing sanctions and tariffs on Denmark, and therefore the rest of the EU as well.
“My fear is that he could create the same kind of division here that he has in the US. We’re already seeing people wearing Maga caps. And I worry they’ll start rolling out a propaganda campaign, and start trying to influence our elections and how we run our country.
“With a lot of recent discussion about a potential independence referendum in Greenland, it would be very weird if we agreed to let ourselves be sold to another country.” Ole Hjorth, 27-year-old air traffic controller from Nuuk
‘It’s taking away our voice and dehumanising us’
“I absolutely condemn the threat of seizing Greenland by force.
“I’m half Inuit. For now, there’s a conversation running over the heads of Inuit people. There’s a lot of high-ranking people talking about Greenland, and the people of Greenland, as an object, as property, as something that can be bought. It’s taking away our voice and dehumanising us.
“We saw this last time, in 2019, with Trump talking about a big ‘real estate deal’.
“I have four children. This whole situation is leading to questions, as any parent thinks about, of where the best place for them to grow up is.
“It’s great that our welfare state, which supports ordinary people, is built on the principles of Denmark. But we need to figure out our own path – on healthcare, schools, childcare and so on – and do this at our own pace. This needs to be our nation, not part of someone else’s.” Patrick Abrahamsen, a 45-year-old who works in search and rescue in Nuuk
‘There’s hope for more independence from Denmark and an agreement that would benefit our people’
“As someone who has older parents [in their 60s and 70s], who have gone through the colonial times and the cold war, there’s such a weird atmosphere around everything that’s going on.
“The hatred for Denmark has never been higher [in some parts of the population], and the gratitude for the US during the second world war and the cold war in terms of military [protection] has never been higher as well. There’s hope in terms of Kalaallit Nunaat [Inuit name for Greenland] being more independent from Denmark but also some hope that there will be a heightened sense of security from the US.
“I will never support Trump and I will never support what colonial Americans have done to Native Americans, but there will always be hope for some type of agreement from both sides that would benefit the people of Kalaallit Nunaat.” Paneeraq, 22, from Sisimiut, one of the fastest growing cities in Greenland
‘We want to independently manage our relationship with the US, and trade with the world’
“We are ready to deal and collaborate with the US directly and secede from Denmark. No, we don’t want to be part of the US, but we don’t want to be part of Denmark either.
“We want to be independent like other countries. We are open for trade. We don’t have enemies. Our first airports were made by America. In the second world war, America had Greenland and opened it up for whole world. It was the first time that development [of Greenland] started for real.
“In 1979, Greenland got its own government [when the Inatsisartut, or parliament of Greenland, was founded], and in 2009 Greenland independently began to control our own country, but [remained] within the Danish kingdom. Denmark has no right to sell us any more.” Malina, 39, teacher
‘I’d rather we work on our relationship with Denmark’
“At first everyone just laughed about it – that’s how absurd [Trump] sounded. But when he began to mention us more and more I started to feel anxious about the thought of the US taking over Greenland. We are privileged here, we have free healthcare, free education, with student support every month, and a low crime rate.
“I fear our culture and our traditions, which we value very highly, would be taken away from us. The people in the US and Greenland couldn’t have been raised more differently – there would be a huge clash in cultures.
“We also value our beautiful nature very, very highly and in the past there have been several demonstrations [about] mining in our nature – we obviously don’t want it ruined! I think Greenland is the most beautiful place in the world. I don’t think [Trump] coming here and gaining control of Greenland will benefit us in any way at all. I would rather we work on our relationship with Denmark to make it even better.” Ivana, in her 20s, from Nuuk
‘I hope an agreement with Trump will be better than our current one with Denmark’
“In a way I have always anticipated that one of the three superpowers would invade when we get our independence from Denmark. But I was hoping we would have a military agreement with the US by then.
“I hope Trump will make a better agreement with us than the current one we have with Denmark, and most importantly, see us as equal partners.
“There is [however] always the concern that we will be worse off, that us native Greenlanders will be put in reserves, that we won’t be able to have any say in our own country and that we won’t be able to finally get our independence.” Hans-Peter Bay, 39, a photographer, videographer and journalist from Qaqortoq
‘Greenland must have control over our natural resources’
“Given Trump’s significant influence, I initially felt a sense of unease. However, when the Greenlandic government firmly stated that Greenland is not for sale and never will be, I felt reassured.
“While the ongoing political tensions between Greenland and Denmark are unfortunate, and although the desire for full independence remains strong, they have prompted us as Greenlanders to reflect on and appreciate the opportunities and the high quality of life we have under Denmark’s governance.
“Greenlanders are divided [on the independence issue]. Personally, I believe that Greenland must first address several key challenges – particularly financial stability and the need for a larger, more educated workforce – before pursuing full independence. I view it as a goal for the future, but not something feasible within the next few years.
“I believe that as Greenlanders, we should have the opportunity to utilise and manage our natural resources independently before seeking collaboration with other countries. It is essential for us to have control over these resources to support our future development.” Frans H Petersen, 21, a student from Maniitsoq
