The mood in Greenland not for America

Whatever be the outcome of the election in Greenland on Tuesday aboutindependence, it is certain that Greenlanders are not in favour of becoming part of the United States of America (USA) asenvisaged by American President Donald Trump. Even Trump partisans in Greenland are not for Greenland getting absorbed in America.

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Trump supporter Jorgen Boassen said, “I am not interested in Greenland becoming an American state. But I want a larger American military presence here. Denmark has not done what they promised regarding military build-up, and we can't solely rely on Europe now.”

The general perception is that Russia and China will be encroaching in the Arctic region, and it will pose a threat to Greenland. The bet is that the American military presence would be the right antidote. If Greenland were to choose independence - the position of Danish politicians is that the decision about independence is entirely that of Greenland leaders - then Greenland is likely to make an independent deal with Trump and America.

And Greenland on its own is a much weaker entity than when it is an autonomous region of Denmark, it will not have much to bargain with the hard businessman that Trump is. As far back as 2019, Trump looked at Greenland as a real estate bargain.