"Greenland is not for sale!": Panic and outrage among Danes over Trump's threat

CopenhagenThe Greenlandic flag is flying these days on several iconic buildings in Copenhagen, such as the famous Tivoli Gardens amusement park, the central Nørreport Square, and Christiansborg Palace, where the Danish Parliament is located. "Denmark has always believed in democratic values and dialogue, and therefore, from the Greenlandic perspective, we stand with the current pressure from American politicians," said the Speaker of Parliament, Søren Gade, on the day a delegation of US congressmen visited the Danish capital.

Since the President of the United States, Donald Trump reiterated his threats to achieve his goals "by hook or by crook." Regarding the control of Greenland, there is a broad consensus in the Nordic country with displays of support for Greenland and rejection of Donald Trump's policies, which they consider expansionist. So much so that Danish manufacturers say that 90% of their sales in recent weeks have been for the flag of the autonomous Arctic territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

This support was also evident on Saturday at a demonstration that brought together thousands of people in the main cities of the Nordic country "to demand respect for the people of Greenland and for their right to self-determination," explained Sika Kristensen, a member of one of the organizations that convened the event in Copenhagen. Under slogans such as "Greenland is not for sale" and "Hands off Greenland," thousands of demonstrators gathered simultaneously in the capital and in Nuuk. "In these times, it is important that we present a united front and collaborate extensively with one another," Kristensen added. "This is not just a fight for Greenland; we must assert our rights throughout the world."

Danish reactions to the comments made almost daily by Trump or one of his White House aides about the need to conquer the Arctic island range from astonishment to panic and outrage. In Denmark, there is a feeling that they are playing a geopolitical game without rules, where anything goes. Especially since the US illegally entered Venezuela at the beginning of the year to capture its president, Nicolás Maduro, many Danes have worriedly wondered if Greenland would be Washington's next target. In fact, according to a poll published a few days ago by the public news agency Ritzau, 38% of Danes believe the US will invade Greenland during Trump's presidency: "The smiles and jokes that used to be made have now disappeared when the topic comes up," says political scientist Mads Hagmund. think tank Europe, headquartered in Copenhagen.

Denmark is considering the worst-case scenario

Following Denmark's announcement this week of deploying military personnel to Greenland, which was accompanied by similar moves from other European countries, Jedzini stated that "the situation is serious enough for the Danish government to keep all possible scenarios open and assume that a military confrontation with the US cannot be ruled out." In contrast, Rasmus Sinding Sondergaard, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), believes that the likelihood of US military action in Greenland has increased in recent weeks following Trump's recent comments, but nevertheless remains "relatively improbable." "Neither security nor minerals, Trump wants control."

While many in Copenhagen are wondering if Trump is serious when he threatens to forcibly plant the American flag on Greenland's ice and natural resources, a meeting was held last Wednesday in Washington: Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Greenland meet face-to-face for the first timeand presented a united front against US Vice President JD Vance. The efforts of the Danish and Greenlandic delegations have been praised in their countries and interpreted as a way to buy time in the face of US threats.

The meeting was followed with great anticipation and nervousness from Copenhagen and Nuuk, although in both capitals there is doubt as to whether the diplomatic route can still have any effect against Trump. "Deep down, the governments know that Trump's ambitions regarding Greenland are not about concrete things," says political scientist Mads Hagmund Jedzini. "Trump doesn't want the Arctic island to defend national security, nor is it about military power, nor access to minerals. He can already achieve all of this by reaching agreements."

"We must put pressure on the Americans"

In a small clothing store vintage From Copenhagen, these days its owner Jesper Tonnesen has made a fortune with some hats that have gone viral on social media and in the media of Denmark and Greenland. Tonnesen's phone hasn't stopped ringing for days with interview requests and because people are asking him when the famous red caps with the Danish slogan "Enough is enough!" will be back on sale.Nu det Nu uk!A play on words with the name of the capital, Nuuk. On the side of the cap, in MAGA style, it says "Make America Go Away." I know a lot of people who can't stand following the news now because everything is going wrong. But in the end, you get tired of being in a sad, scared corner because of this situation. I think we have to put a little pressure on the Americans," Tonnesen said. "You can sleep."

With all that background noise, there are also more voices in Denmark urging "the need to talk about the current relationship with Greenland," said Mads Hagmund Jedzini. "Never before has a Danish prime minister openly apologized for the US's colonial past, but now it has happened with Denmark's colonial past, but now the expert has come forward."