Louis Raymond
Greenlanders are overwhelmingly skeptical about the idea that US President Donald Trump could purchase their island from Denmark, local media reported on Tuesday, citing a new opinion poll. The results of the survey sharply contrast with those of an earlier poll by a little-known US-based firm.
Trump has frequently touted taking Greenland for the US, along with incorporating Canada and ‘retaking’ control of the Panama canal, since his election victory in November last year. He has also claimed there is popular support for his idea among Greenlanders.
Danish national daily Berlingske disputed the assertion on Tuesday, citing a study by international pollster Verian, which it had co-commissioned with the Greenland-based newspaper Sermitsiaq.
Berlingske reported that of nearly 500 people surveyed, only 6% said they favored joining the US. Another 9% were undecided, while 85% rejected the idea.
Almost half of respondents (45%) said they viewed Trump’s interest in Greenland as a threat, the newspaper pointed out.
The outlet contrasted the results with an earlier survey suggesting that 57% of Greenlanders supported acquisition of their homeland by the US. The majority approval was reported by US-based company Patriot Polling earlier this month, based on its first-ever survey outside of the US. The firm did not disclose its sample size or methodology specific to Greenland.
Last week, Trump spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The conversation was combative and left the Danish side “utterly freaked out,” according to an anonymous source quoted by The Financial Times on Friday.
Amid the diplomatic crisis, which some Danish media have dubbed ‘The Battle for Greenland,’ Copenhagen announced a new initiative to combat racism and discrimination against the islanders. The government intends to spend almost $5 million over the next four years to strengthen Greenlandic identity and to foster connections with the mainland, it announced on Monday.
