Greenlanders have sharply criticised the Trump administration’s threats to impose new tariffs on European allies unless they agree to sell the territory of Greenland to the United States. Local residents have decried the “circus” surrounding the American president’s repeated attempts to purchase the autonomous Danish territory.
The controversy erupted after reports emerged that President Trump had repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. When the Danish government rejected the notion, Trump threatened to impose unspecified economic penalties on the Nordic nation.
“This is complete nonsense,” said Hans Enoksen, a former Prime Minister of Greenland. “Greenland is not for sale, and the idea of the US purchasing it is an absurd circus.” Enoksen emphasised that the territory’s 56,000 residents have no desire to be sold off to the United States.
Other Greenlandic officials echoed these sentiments, with current Premier Kim Kielsen stating bluntly: “Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant.”
Analysts have widely dismissed Trump’s overtures as impractical and potentially damaging to US relations with Denmark, a key NATO ally. The US president’s fixation on acquiring Greenland appears to stem from the territory’s strategic location and natural resources, including vast deposits of rare earth minerals.
However, Greenland’s government has made clear that the territory is not for sale under any circumstances. “We’re open for business, but we’re not for sale,” said Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a member of the Danish parliament representing Greenland.
The backlash from Greenlanders underscores the disconnect between the Trump administration’s unilateral approach and the reality on the ground. Local residents have emphasised their right to self-determination and have no interest in being pawns in a geopolitical game.
As the war of words continues, Greenland appears steadfast in rejecting any attempts by the US to acquire the territory through economic coercion or other means. The saga serves as a cautionary tale about the limits of American power and the importance of respecting the sovereignty of smaller nations.
