Greenland has indicated an unwillingness to become part of the US
Greenland does not want to join the United States, but is open to economic cooperation. Greenland's Minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, Naaya Nathanielsen, Greenland's Minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, said in an opinion piece for The Washington Post on January 15.
"Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. We do not want to be part of the United States. We are neither Danish nor American," she wrote.
Nathanielsen noted that Greenland maintains high environmental standards, has rich geological resources, and is open to close business cooperation with the United States. She also pointed to the experience of working with the U.S. State Department to provide information on mineral resources.
"There are current, future and as yet unknown investment opportunities. <...> The potential for economic development in Greenland is enormous. <...> And we invite the United States to join us in closer business cooperation," she emphasized.
On January 13, a poll published in Patriot Polling showed that more than half of Greenland's population is in favor of the island joining the United States. The survey was conducted from January 6 to 11, and 416 Greenlanders participated in it. According to the survey, 57.3 percent of respondents were in favor of joining the US.
Trump said that for the U.S. "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" on Dec. 22, 2024, announcing the appointment of an ambassador to Denmark. He had previously expressed interest in buying Greenland from Denmark in 2019, but was turned down. This coming year, Trump was also indicated that the island was not for sale and would not be sold, but Denmark could cooperate more with the U.S.
Later on January 10, Trump posted a video on the social media network Truth Social of Greenlanders asking him to buy the island. Reacting to this, Danish media said the participants in the video were vulnerable citizens bribed with a hotel dinner. On the same day, Greenlandic Prime Minister Muthe Bowrup Egede reminded that Greenland is part of the North American continent and the US sees it as a kind of "backyard" where the entire continent will be protected.
Then, on January 13, it became known that the representatives of the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives put forward a bill to authorize negotiations on the purchase of Greenland. At the same time, Egede said that the citizens of Greenland should have control over the island and choose their own future.