NUUK, Greenland — As unlikely as it sounds, support is growing among native Greenlanders for President Trump’s rhetoric about annexing the Arctic island — as well as actually becoming part of the United States.
The Post spoke to multiple Greenlanders on Thursday who quietly approved of Trump’s proposals to form a partnership with the island — or even take it over from its Danish rulers — but asked to speak anonymously after receiving death threats over their views and advocacy.
“For the American people, the highest-ranking valuable thing you can give another country is to be part of the United States,” said one resident of Nuuk, Greenland’s capital. “When Donald Trump says, ‘You can even join the United States’ — that’s the most valuable thing Donald Trump is saying he can give up.”
“I can’t say that,” this person added. “It’s like I will be killed. It’s f—ng crazy times here in Greenland; the fear-mongering, the divide and conquer of the media has been crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.”
Though roughly 90% of the island’s population of just over 56,000 are Greenlandic Inuit, the media is primarily Danish — influencing the opinions of the native people, according to Trump supporter Lars Kleist.
“I think we need change here in Greenland. We are tired of the Danish colonialism,” said Kleist, a former local government employee who said he lost his job in 2020 because of his pro-independence views. “When you enter the town, everything is ruled by the Danish.”
Kliest, who received worldwide attention after he was pictured casting his vote in Greenland’s March 11 parliamentary elections while wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, said he would prefer a partnership with the US to annexation — but supports Trump all the way.
“I hope that the United States will have an influence in Greenland,” said Kleist.
Jorgen Boassen — known locally as “Trump’s Greenlandic son” for his open support for the US president — said he has received four death threats in recent weeks for his views and work to align Greenland with the US.
Boassen works with the Washington-based think tank American Daybreak, which advocates for closer US-Greenlandic relations and pitched the now-canceled trip by second lady Usha Vance to Greenland’s national dog race on Saturday.
“Only one country can protect us — the US,” he said, noting Russia and China’s growing presence in the Arctic. “And the US economy gives more potential to increasing incomes per person, maybe up to 40% in the future.”
“The next generation don’t want to speak Danish; they want to speak more English,” Boassen added. “I think they would have better possibilities [if they were] to go to education in the United States.”
Greenland was colonized by Denmark in the 17th century, and was formally unified with the kingdom in 1814. The island was granted home rule in 1979 and received additional autonomy 30 years later — but Copenhagen continues to call the shots in terms of foreign, domestic and economic policies.
In return, the Danish government gives roughly $800 billion to Greenland annually — which would be “chump change” to Washington, said one anonymous pro-America Greenlander.
American Daybreak founder Tom Dans, who worked in the first Trump administration as the Arctic commissioner for the Treasury Department, said the US president’s support in Greenland boils down to his stance on Greenlandic security and independence.
“We’re supporting them if they move toward independence,” Dans said. “President Trump has been unambiguous that he has [Greenlanders’] back. Whatever they lose from Denmark, he would replace tenfold. And he’s always going to give them security and protection.
“We want Greenlanders to begin to compete under their own flag at the Olympics and World Cup.”
