The results of a snap election in Greenland are likely to please President Donald Trump since they signal a strong desire for independence from Denmark.
The massive island of Greenland — with its strategic location, abundant mineral deposits, tiny population of about 55,000, and U.S. Air Force base — has long been on Trump’s mind, dating all the way back to his first term. Now that he’s back in office, he has reignited discussions about acquiring Greenland in some capacity.
“We need Greenland for national security,” Trump said in his address to Congress last week. “One way or the other, we’re gonna get it.”
‘We want to be Greenlanders. … And we want to build our own country by ourselves.’
Because of the renewed American interest in the country, which enjoys relative autonomy even though Denmark continues to control its defense and foreign policy, then-Prime Minister Múte Egede last month called for a snap election.
“We are in the midst of a serious time,” he posted to Facebook on February 4. “A time we have never experienced in our country.”
At the time, Egede expressed optimism about the results, and his party — Inuit Ataqatigiit, described as a “pro-independence democratic socialist political party” — was largely expected to win. “I am again more than ready to work for you and to lead our country,” he pledged.
However, Inuit Ataqatigiit garnered just 21% of the vote, a significant decline from the 36% it received just four years ago. By contrast, two pro-independence parties — the Demokraatit party and the Naleraq party, which strongly aligns with Trump — surged from their respective 9% and 12% showings four years ago to carry the day. The Demokraatit party came in first, with about 30% of the vote, while Naleraq earned about 25%.
Though the Demokraatit party carried the largest share of the vote, 30% is not enough to govern alone, so members will have to form a coalition with other parties to advance their goals.
An alliance between the Demokraatit and Naleraq parties could lead to full independence from Denmark, though the Naleraq prefers a more aggressive move toward independence while the Demokraatit prefers a slower, more measured approach.
‘A big victory for the Naleraq Party will be seen as a victory for Donald Trump.’
Before anyone on the Trump team gets too excited though, 33-year-old Demokraatit leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen, now the incumbent prime minister, stated plainly that Greenland is not “for sale.”
“We don’t want to be Americans,” Nielsen said Tuesday. “No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope.”
Still, the outcome is undoubtedly a win for Trump. Even NBC News had to admit begrudgingly that the results “may be taken as a positive in Washington.”
The gains for the Naleraq party in particular should give the president and his team hope, according to Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College. A day before the vote, Rahbek-Clemmensen claimed, “A big victory for the Naleraq Party will be seen as a victory for Donald Trump.”
Thus far, Trump has not publicly weighed in on the results in Greenland, and a representative for the president did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
For his part, former Prime Minister Egede seemed to accept the electoral defeat with grace, posting to Facebook:
Thank you to everyone who showed up for the election[.] Special thanks to all of you who voted for me personally[.] We respect the outcome of the election. Now the work begins in the new election period. And we’re excited to hear what the parties will offer for the negotiations – We’re ready.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the election “a joyful day and a celebration of democracy.”
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Greenland, Donald trump, Múte egede, Inuit ataqatigiit, Demokraatit, Naleraq, Jens-friederik nielsen, Mette frederiksen, Denmark, Politics
