In 2009, Greenland secured the right to hold a referendum aimed at achieving full independence from Denmark, though a survey from that period indicated that opinions were mixed regarding the speed of this process. Today, Greenland manages its domestic matters, while Denmark oversees foreign policy and defense issues.
“We don’t want independence overnight; we seek a solid foundation,” stated Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit party and current prime minister, during a press conference in Nuuk on Tuesday evening.
Former President Trump acknowledges the immense mineral resources in Greenland and the presence of a U.S. military base as strategically significant, particularly as the Arctic region gains importance in global geopolitics; however, both Nuuk and Copenhagen have dismissed his overtures.
“We require Greenland for national security. One way or another, we’ll acquire it,” Trump asserted to Congress in his address last week.
Nielsen’s remarks contrasted sharply with Trump’s, as he told NBC News’ international partner Sky News during the vote that he aimed to send “a clear message to him that we are not for sale.”
“We don’t aspire to be Americans. No, we don’t wish to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. Our goal is independence in the future, and we intend to construct our own nation independently, rather than on the back of his aspirations,” Nielsen added.
Interestingly, the White House may find a sympathetic ally in Naleraq, the primary independence party. Social media influencer and Naleraq candidate Qupanuk Olsen mentioned to Reuters that “I am convinced that all this interest from Trump and the global community is accelerating our independence process exponentially.”
At an election watch party in Nuuk on Tuesday, Naleraq party member Kuno Fencker told Reuters that “he respects our right to self-determination… if he wishes to invest in Greenland, he is more than welcome to do so.”
While a significant majority of Greenlanders favor independence, they remain skeptical of Trump’s advances, as indicated by a January poll commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and the Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq.
Nonetheless, analysts suggest that the separatist agendas of both parties may open doors for increased U.S. influence in the region.
The two parties are likely to “seek greater investments” in light of America’s interest in the island, remarked Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, prior to the vote on Monday.
“A significant victory for the Naleraq Party will be interpreted as a win for Donald Trump,” he noted.
Greenland’s former prime minister Múte Egede called for early elections in February in response to Trump’s comments about the island’s acquisition being crucial for security interests.
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·