Elisabeth Frerot about Donald Trump’s new strategy • The head of government: “Obviously unacceptable”
First, Trump offered to buy Greenland from Denmark. Then he threatened to invade the island militarily and go to war with its most faithful allies in NATO.
Now Trump seems to have realized that it is not Denmark but the Greenlanders themselves who have the island’s future in their hands. And instead try to bribe the Greenlanders to join the United States.
Trump explained to the US Congress last week that he has somehow decided to take over Greenland. But both Denmark and the Greenland government have made very clear that Greenland is not for sale and that one does not intend to bow to threats.
Now the American president seems to be testing another strategy. He eventually seems to have realized that Denmark does not have the right to sell or give away Greenland, but that it is the Greenlanders themselves who have the island’s future in their hands.
So now Trump is testing to direct himself directly to the Greenlanders and attract them with money instead. The day before the Greenlandic election, Trump offers on his platform Truth Social to make the Greenlanders rich by investing billions in Greenland if they vote to become independent and join the United States.
Head of Government: “Unacceptable”
But that Trump settles in the democratic process has aroused a scream in Greenland.
“Obviously, it is unacceptable to interfere in allied countries’ electoral movement,” said Greenland’s head of government Múte B. Egee, calling Trump disrespectful and unreliable.
To now, Trump’s interest in Greenland has given the independence movement in Greenland. It has been seen as a historical opportunity to break away from Denmark and negotiate with the United States as well. America has been seen as an ally who could open new opportunities for an independent Greenland.
They want to be independent
But the question now is whether invasion threats and election influence can have a completely opposite effect and create distrust of the United States. That Trump has not realized, or does not care about, is that the Greenlanders are not interested in replacing a colonial power with another. They do not want to be Danes or Americans. They want to be independent.
How Trump’s different plays have affected the Greenlanders, we can get answers in the election tomorrow. Has he managed to fire the demands for a quick divorce from Denmark? Or will he soon be able to test another new strategy unless the bribe trial will succeed either?
The only thing that is certain is that Trump will not release the idea of taking over Greenland.