Despite Donald Trump claiming the island’s population ‘want to be with us’, Greenlanders overwhelmingly rejected the idea
By Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent
and Jennifer Rankin in Brussels
Jan 28, 2025
A new opinion poll shows 85% of Greenlanders do not want their island to become a part of the United States, after Donald Trump called for the US to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Since his re-election, Trump has reiterated his interest in acquiring the Arctic island, which is controlled by Denmark but has a large degree of autonomy.
Speaking onboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said: “I think we’re going to have it,” and claimed that the Arctic island’s 57,000 residents “want to be with us”.
But a new survey by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish paper Berlingske, showed only 6% of Greenlanders are in favour of becoming part of the US, with 9% undecided.
The new poll came as Denmark’s prime minister said Europe must “stand together” in the face of changing relations with the US during a whistle-stop tour of Berlin, Paris and Brussels.
After meeting the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, Mette Frederiksen said: “I want to ensure that all of Europe stands together. Not only in connection with the kingdom of Denmark but also more broadly.”
Frederiksen, who also met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, added: “Everyone in Europe can see that it will be a different collaboration with the USA now.
“At least these are the tones we hear from Washington in relation to trade and economic cooperation. What the consequences of that are, we don’t know yet.”
Scholz said that “borders must not be moved by force”.
Speaking ahead of her final stop of the day in Brussels, where she planned to meet the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, she also said she was working “very, very hard right now” to look after Denmark’s interests.
“Regardless of what happens in the USA, Europe must stand stronger in its own right,” the Social Democrat leader added.
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