'We are not for sale,' says Greenlander on statements made by Donald Trump

When U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke of taking over Greenland earlier this month, it wasn't the first time.

"Donald Trump saying this, it's not new, we heard it for the first time back in 2019 when he wanted to buy Greenland the first time," said Qupanuk Olsen, a Greenlandic content creator who posts videos on life and culture in her home country. 

"When it said it again, I was just like, 'Of course you cannot buy us, we are not for sale and no, we are not interested in becoming a state under [the] United States.'" 

For Olsen, this time around, the message has a different tone. 

"I know [Trump is] a businessman and it's a political tactical move … but when Donald Trump Jr. arrived here, suddenly Donald Trump's words became a bit more realistic," said Olsen. 

The same day of that visit, the president-elect said he wouldn't rule out using economic or military force to annex Greenland. 

"We need Greenland for national security purposes," Trump told reporters.

"You look outside, you have China ships all over the place, you have Russian ships all over the place, we're not letting it happen." 

Greenland, an Arctic island between Canada and Europe, has been a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark — which also includes the Faroe Islands — since the 1800s. Over 90 per cent of its population of fewer than 60,000 people are Indigenous. It has had its own parliament and government since 1973, and a 2008 referendum laid a pathway to full independence if Greenlanders want it.

Despite the threats from Trump, Olsen is choosing to see the silver lining, saying it might help shine a light on the calls for independence. 

"I think all of this happening right now, all of the news and everyone talking about it is speeding up our independence," said Olsen.

"I see it as a positive thing that the U.S. is showing interest in us, because it helps many Greenlanders to realize that we are actually worth more than we thought we were." 

Naalakkersuisut, the government of Greenland, issued a statement after Trump's comments, saying "Greenland belongs to the People of Greenland — and Greenland's development and future are decided solely by its people.

"The fight for independence is Greenland's own matter. Our future is ours and must be defined by us. We are aware of our rights as a People with the right to self-determination." 

Trump has also taken to social media to refer to Canada as the 51st state, suggesting that he will annex the country by using harsh tariffs. 

Centuries of colonization 

The impacts of colonization in Greenland mirrors Canada and Olsen says the harms can still be felt today. 

Olsen said Inuit cultural practices were banned when Christianity was brought to the country and families were forced into settlements. 

"We were no longer allowed to use our drum, to do drum dancing," Olsen said.

"There are many villages that have been closed down by force because people [were] forced to move into bigger towns, and we almost lost our language as well." 

There is an ongoing public inquiry into how thousands of Greenlandic women were given IUDs for birth control without their consent in the 1960s, and some are suing the Danish government for compensation.

"We have one of the highest suicide rates in the world here in Greenland, and I strongly believe it's based on colonization, because many, many people unfortunately think they're less worthy to live compared to a Danish guy," said Olsen. 

The United States already has a presence in the country — the Pituffik Space Base (formerly the Thule Air Base) was built in 1951.

The statement from the Naalakkersuisut said "Greenland has had more than 80 years of defence co-operation with the U.S. for the benefit of the security of Greenland, the U.S. and the rest of the western world." 

The statement goes on to say that "Greenland is aware of the changed security dynamics in the Arctic."