After landing in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, Donald Trump Jr. tried to take stock of local feelings surrounding his father's plans to take over the Arctic island. A meeting room of a hotel in the center of the city was the location for this alleged act of spontaneous and popular assembly. Don Jr.'s entourage said it encouraged ordinary Greenlanders from all walks of life – but not journalists or politicians – to come along for a candid conversation about the issues facing Greenland. In reality, locals say, the dozen or so attendees included homeless people brought from across the street with the promise of some MAGA merchandise and a free meal at one of Nuuk's nicest restaurants.
The stunt was hardly representative of what Greenlanders really think of Donald Trump's recent outbursts. For Nuuk, opinions vary from apathy and bewilderment to fear. Some are overwhelmed by unease. “He's scary,” says Ruth, who works at a cultural center. “We don't want him here.” She says many Greenlanders take Denmark for granted and that America's historically poor treatment of Alaska Natives is a big part of her concern (Greenland's population is 89% Inuit). Three young construction workers in the neighborhood are more receptive to the prospect of American ownership. “It would open up economic opportunities for us,” one told The Economist. “I wouldn't mind,” another grins when asked if he wants an American passport. “But for me, Greenland always comes first.”
Greenlanders say the past week of global attention has brought the issue of independence back to the fore. The island's 56,000 residents suffer under what they consider a 300-year-old colonial rule from Denmark. In 1979, Greenland was granted broad autonomy, although Denmark retains power over foreign policy and defense (something Greenlanders are rarely consulted on). According to the most recent poll from 2019, around two-thirds of Greenlanders support independence, but remain divided over its timing and potential impact on living standards. Danish subsidies keep the economy going. They account for more than half of the Greenland government's budget and finance much of the island's employment, healthcare and education.
Few Greenlanders support an outright US takeover, but some see an opportunity to leverage Trump's interests for greater autonomy. For example, US investments in rare earth mining could help wean Greenland's economy from Danish subsidies. There is an increasing desire to also conclude a free trade agreement with America. (Greenland left the then European Community, now the European Union, in 1985 and can therefore make its own deals.) Trump Jr.'s high-profile visit to Nuuk could even be a boon for tourism. “It's a great marketing opportunity,” jokes a political worker at the Inatsisartut, the Greenland parliament.
Opinion research from December 2024 shows that almost 60% of the Greenlandic public wants closer cooperation with America. “We are not looking for a utopia for Greenland,” said Kuno Fencker, a pro-independence lawmaker. He believes that Greenlandic independence can be supported by closer cooperation with the Americans in the areas of defense and security. Many Greenlanders believe that Denmark has not done enough to invest in protecting the island. Greenland already hosts a US military base and is seen as crucial to Arctic security. Mr Fencker notes that America has already signed 'Compacts of Free Association' agreements with states such as Micronesia in the Pacific. An independent Greenland could sign a “double association agreement” with both Denmark and America, he suggests. Iceland is another model that many Greenlanders aspire to.
At a press conference in Copenhagen on Friday, Múte Egede, the island's pro-independence prime minister, reaffirmed that Greenland was not for sale. “We don't want to be Danes. We don't want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders,” he told reporters. There will be general elections for Greenland's 31-member parliament in April. The issue of independence would be central anyway, and now it will be even more so. Greenlanders often complain. that they have been ignored for too long because of the issues that affect their future. This year, thanks in part to Mr. Trump, that seems likely to change.
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