"America Is Not a Safe Option"... Minneapolis Chaos Draws Greenland Residents Closer to Denmark

SadaNews - The American newspaper "The New York Times" reported that the residents of Greenland, an island that belongs to Denmark and which U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to control, are watching the turmoil in the United States and are rejecting proximity with it.

The report adds that the violent events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following the killing of two individuals by federal security forces during extensive immigration enforcement campaigns, along with Trump's threats, have cooled the feelings of Greenland's residents towards the United States and unexpectedly pushed them closer to Denmark.

It mentioned that not long ago, Aviaja Sinkbak, the head of a Greenland office, believed it was time to move further away from 300 years of Danish rule and to possibly consider independence, even being open to the idea of closer ties with the United States.

Now, as she watches images of violence coming from Minneapolis from her home on a hill overlooking Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, and still hearing echoes of Trump's threats to take back her homeland ringing in her ears, she has changed her mind. Sinkbak referred to the situation in Minnesota, saying: "This is madness," and added, referring to Trump: "He is crazy," saying that America is no longer a "safe option."

Despite Trump's recent announcement that he would not seize Greenland by force, the crisis he alone caused has raised concerns among America's allies in Europe, threatened NATO, and brought U.S. relations with Denmark to the brink of collapse.

The United States had defended Greenland during World War II and the Cold War, and the residents viewed Americans as protectors. However, now, the idea of joining the United States – a deeply divided country lacking comprehensive healthcare, where social disparities are worsening, and chaos reigns in the streets of Minneapolis – is no longer attractive.

Juli Radmacher, president of a Greenlandic association in Denmark, questioned: "What are we supposed to think about the United States now?" She stated that she too has been disturbed by the news coming from Minnesota, adding: "I feel a lot of sympathy for many American citizens. There is no doubt that living in such conditions is extremely difficult."

Most of Greenland's population of 57,000 – a small number for such a vast island – are Inuit natives, many of whom are fully aware of the way the United States has treated its indigenous people and its territories abroad.

Radmacher pointed out that the per capita income in Greenland, which stands at about $60,000, is much higher than the per capita income in American territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa.

Consensus among Greenlanders is increasing, according to numerous interviews conducted in recent weeks, that their situation is much better under their current system, supported by Denmark, which grants Greenlanders extensive autonomy in managing their affairs, compared to their situation if they were Americans.

Trump's pressures have had significant backfiring effects; instead of accelerating Greenland's separation from Denmark – a sentiment that had been growing in recent years – it has led them to draw closer to their former colonizer.

This shift was clearly manifested when Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, stood alongside Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, in Copenhagen this month and declared that if Greenland had to choose between Denmark and the United States, it would choose Denmark.

This was a strong message; on the contrary, Greenland was moving away from Denmark, as a poll conducted last year showed that a majority of Greenlanders supported independence.

The island, which was colonized in 1721, has gained more autonomy in recent decades, and Denmark still provides more than half of its budget. However, the local economy, primarily based on fishing, is witnessing growth, giving Greenlanders hope that they might one day, in the near future, be able to rely on themselves.

There has been increasing interest in revisiting the colonial past and all its accompanying violations, alongside a rising resentment towards Denmark, coinciding with a growing desire to cut ties, but Trump changed all that.

Many Greenlanders now see Denmark as their best protector in a troubled world, saying that independence would put them at risk. Akaluk Ling, a former member of the Greenland Parliament, stated: "We are not discussing independence now; we are talking about survival."

In the past few weeks, as Trump escalated his threats, individuals interviewed in Nuuk reported suffering from insomnia, feeling anxious and lost, and are never far from their phones. Fears peaked during a sudden power outage in Nuuk last week. Many stated in interviews that they thought it was the beginning of an American invasion, only to find out it was due to a fault in the power line caused by strong winds.

Many Greenlanders expressed gratitude to Denmark’s Prime Minister for her firm stance against Trump, including her recent decision to bring a small European military force for exercises in Greenland and her symbolic support.

For centuries, Danish authorities have undermined Greenlandic identity, suppressed indigenous populations, disrupted families, displaced communities, and subjected Greenlandic women and girls to forced birth control programs as part of state efforts to curb population growth, a policy that has left deep psychological scars. Frederiksen apologized for this a few months ago, but with increasing fears of American control, feelings of independence have become more complicated.

Many Greenlanders descend from ancestors who learned how to survive in one of the most isolated regions on Earth, and today, they are accustomed to a high standard of living akin to Scandinavian models, attributing some of this to Denmark.