‘Disrespectful and offensive’: Inuit, Canadian politicians react to U.S. Greenland threats
President Donald Trump, administration mount rhetoric over plans to purchase or acquire island
Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland, is seen in 2024. Canadian leaders including Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand are planning Greenland trips in the coming weeks. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
When Aaju Peter first heard U.S. President Donald Trump talk about buying or taking Greenland during his first term, she didn’t take it seriously.
Aaju Peter, who is originally from Greenland, is seen here in 2024. (File photo by Arty Sarkisian)
“But now that he is becoming more serious, I’m taking his words more seriously,” Peter, an Iqaluit-based lawyer and activist originally from Greenland, said in an interview.
“It’s disrespectful and offensive that a leader of a country would want to buy our land, my motherland.”
The United States has had a foothold in Greenland since the 1950s, where it operates the Pituffik Space Base military installation, and both the U.S. and Greenland — as part of Denmark — are members of the NATO political and military alliance.
When Trump returned to office last year, he reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland. He claimed that for national security reasons, the U.S. needed to own the Arctic island, which is a country within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Climate change is making previously impassable Arctic shipping routes more accessible, heightening interest and competition in the region by superpowers the U.S., Russia and China.
Over the past week, Greenland returned to the international spotlight yet again.
Following U.S. military’s capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Jan. 3, Katie Miller — the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller — tweeted an image of a Greenland map with an American flag superimposed on top of it. The caption read: “SOON.”
Trump and other members of his administration have ramped up their calls to acquire Greenland. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that “all options are always on the table,” including taking Greenland by military force.
Leaders from Canada and European countries voiced their support for Greenland, and for Denmark’s sovereignty over the territory and its importance to the NATO alliance.
“Canada will always support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark, including Greenland,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday after meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced she would travel to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, to open a Canadian consulate “in the coming weeks.”
At Carney’s request, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will also travel to Greenland and Denmark, her office said Wednesday.
“The upcoming visit in early February will underscore the importance of Canada’s collaboration with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, a key Arctic ally and the strong cultural and familial bonds we share,” Rideau Hall said in a statement, adding that more information on Simon’s trip will be announced later.
On social media, Inuit have shared posts in solidarity with Greenland.
“Greenland belongs to the Kalaallit (Greenlandic Inuit)!” singer Susan Aglukark said in a Facebook post shared by more than 900 people.
Attached to her post was a map of Greenland with the country’s red and white flag overlaying the island.
For Peter, the prospect of improved diplomacy between Greenland and Canada would strengthen the relationship for Inuit between both nations.
She wants a continuation of the collaborative relationship between the U.S. and Greenland she says dates back to when American troops protected the territory during the Second World War.
However, Peter said, Trump needs to be honest about what he wants out of Greenland — and about any threats to U.S. national security that would justify his aggressive rhetoric.
“If he does go ahead and take Greenland, he’s not just going to stop there because Nunavut is going to be in the way, right?” Peter said.
“If he can flex his muscles and nothing happens, if nobody else can stop him, I don’t think he would stop.”
Nunatsiaq News attempted to interview Navarana Beveridge, the Danish honorary consul in Iqaluit. However, that request was denied by the Danish foreign affairs ministry in Copenhagen.
To be clear, the US doesn’t care about indignous people, regardless of where theyre from. Dont forget many native americans sought refuge in Canada during the Indian wars, when their government was actually trying to wipe out all indigenous people (actual genocide). At one point native americans were used as slaves in places like Utah. Trump especially doesn’t care about indigenous people and only sees greenland for its riches.
The imperialist sentiment in the USA is stronger now than ever, and we as canadians should be scared too. We stand with Greenland and we stand with our European allies. Canada strong Greenland strong 💪 👏
To be clearer still, the US does not care about anything that is not American.
They are almost completely self-serving and predominantly ignorant of anything beyond their borders.
That is probably true for most countries, and no-one should be particularly surprised or shocked by this. It is basic human nature that can only be reversed with knowledge and empathy which the American system does not promote.
Presently, Americans are having a tough enough time even caring for fellow Americans that might have a different strain of politics than them.
What they are saying about Greenland has nothing to do with Greenland or Denmark.
What they are saying has everything to do with what they want other Americans to hear.
My DAD,BORN & RAISED ON A DAIRY FARM(HOGS,CHICKENS,RABBITS,GEESE,1 GOAT) HERE IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN & JOINED THE SERVICE IN 1943/WW2,GOD SPARED HIM. HE CAME HOME & BOUGHT THE FARM 1948. WERE OF POLISH ANNCESTRY/HELL EXTENDED ITS KINGDOM IN POLAND FROM 1939 TO 1945 UNTIL THE REAL PATRIOTS/GOD’S SOLDIERS BROKE THE GATES DOWN & DUSTED/HUNG THE F***ING NAZIS. DAD PASSED AT 5 MONTHS OVER 100 IN MAY 2022. IN 2015 WHEN bspur/AGENT ORANGE/PUTIN’S errand boy,tr**p APPEARED MY DAD TOOK MAYBE 5 SECS. & SAID “THIS guy IS DANGEROUS,NOT JUST THE USA BUT THE WORLD”…..I KNOW THE HISTORY OF GERMANY 1920s,30s,40s AND THE PSYCOPATH DICTATOR Hitler,AND AND AND I KNOW ABOUT Hitler’s BROWN SHIRTS/TODAY THEIR REFERRED TO AS I c e. I’M VERY THANKFUL I SA RIGHT THROUGH bspur/AGENT ORANGE,tr**p AND DID NOT,NOT JOIN THE m a g a CULT,I KNOW A CON boy WHEN I HEAR & SEE him. NO,I STILL LIVE AT THE FARM & AM AT LEAST I GET SOME SOLACE KNOWING THAT I DID NOT NOT VOTE FOR THE ORANGE,PSYCOPATH DIDTATOR SPOILED BRAT🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🙏,ROD CHECKALSKI,WEYERHAEUSER,WISCONSIN,54895
Get used to it.
You’re right. American Imperialism is over. We’re witnessing the decline of the American empire. It’s gonna get messy but we’ll give them the business the same way gave it to the stazis when the time comes. Greenland will never be owned by the US.
Notice no one is talking abut the Epstein files anymore.
Its called ” WAG THE DOG ” !!!
Now we are taking politics? Yet nothing mentioned about that NDP party elected member You voted for!? lol I voted Blue and You people voted her in, why? Now she going to walk across the floor! If that was the catch, why didn’t you people vote liberal to begin with? Sad day here in Nunavut!!
Maybe trump can get a package deal buy 1 greenland get 1 nunavut for 30% off
No one is stopping you from moving to the USA. Nunavut will always be part of Canada just like Greenland will always be part of Denmark.
You do know Greenland is trying to get independence from Denmark right?
The vast majority of Greenlandic people want independence, as long as it doesn’t lower their standard of living. The polling is clear. Since Denmark subsidizes half of Greenland”s budget, how can their standard of living not drop?
Back in 1946 US offered to buy Greenland. They’d also protect Greenland as Denmark could not. Denmark refused and kept their colony but let the USA build military bases.
In 1953, Demark told the UN that Greenland is now Denmark’s, a territory. This ended the UN decolonization requests to Denmark.
This also helped to delay any Greenland self-government. Denmark in 1966-1970, over 4,000 Greenlandic females, some as young as 12, had IUDs inserted without their knowledge or consent. By 2009, Greenland got its self-government, but Denmark still has its fingers in control.
Today, Greenland politician Mr. Pele Broberg says Greenlanders have the right to discuss directly with the USA. Without the press. Without Denmark in the room.
Denmark says no.
Demark says they, not Greenland, control the foreign talks. Though Demark still cannot defend Greenland. President Trump says he wants to talk with the Greenlandic people.
Canada’s PM Carney says Greenland and Denmark to talk to the USA. Any surprise Eu/Canada won’t recognize Greenland as the adult in the room.
Mr. Broberg say’s for the press, Denmark and all to calm down. To be adults. So Greenland can sit down with the USA to ask… What makes them, the USA, nervous? What do they want to do?
I wonder if the USA will set before Greenlanders a top-down map of the Arctic. Then, will point to where Russia has built large Arctic military bases.
Crystal clear, anything fired will fly over Greenland to hit Canada. Hit the USA.
Canada can’t defend Greenland. Canada can’t even defend itself. It must depend on the USA.
Canada is also up to its neck with a rat’s nest of deep foreign infiltration from at least 6 countries from coast to coast.
Why the USA in the Biden years and Trump today are extremely concerned about the security risks Canada as a neighbour has become.
Finland recently seized a ghost ship (transponder signal/flag changed) that was still sailing with its anchor dropped, damaging underwater cables.
Another ghost ship, with its own submarines following, was tracked travelling between Greenland and the UK going north.
Saying what’s happening is climate change is like talking to children when the real world is… Cold War. But yeah, don’t think, don’t be prepaid, just be offended as told.
Defend Greenland from who? China? How many wars has China started? Russia? They have their hands full with Ukraine. Oh wait, there is one country I suppose that has a habit of invading other countries to steal their resources at gunpoint. Ya, that would be the United States.
Russia is down to attacking Ukraine on horseback wearing body armor their soldiers had to buy themselves.
China will be at war with India over water before it has any chance for foreign interventions past their sinking man-made islands in the South China Sea.
Any missile aimed over the North Pole at North America will only hit Canada if we are allied with the US against whomever fired that missile.
Canada has done a good job so far of picking and choosing which US adversary at the time we might want to pick a fight with too, and we should continue to do so. That discretion and discernment is a big and successful part of our defense.
You are an American apologist, and a poor one at that.
Putin invaded Ukraine because dictators do such a poor job of making their people prosperous. Identically, Trump is pointing at Greenland because he is actively tanking the US economy.
Trump’s party is going to get hammered in the mid-terms soon, assuming he allows a free and fair election.
That is all there is to this, nothing more.
As always, I’m grateful for your posts, MF.
‘Mass formation psychosis’ describes a psychological phenomenon where a large segment of society becomes hypnotized by a shared narrative, losing critical thinking and becoming intolerant of dissent, often driven by societal anxiety, isolation, and a lack of meaning.
The term is used to explain how mass hysteria or mob mentality can take hold, focusing collective attention on a scapegoat or issue, leading to extreme conformity and radical actions against perceived threats.
Crystal clear, recent examples of those scapegoats and issues that have been used to align people – using fear, ignorance and hysteria – are wars or threat of war, covidmania, human-made climate, TDS, and identity politics
Thanks, S… Always enjoy reading your mind-activating posts. Happy New Year S.
Unsure why your comment has so many thumbs down. As far as I can tell, you stated FACTS, not opinions. With the world is changing, and not necessarily for the better, and as the North opens up, the usual bad actors (Russia and China) are preparing to take it. There is only one country that can possibly defend us. Yes, that country is the USA. Like them or not, who else could. Canada? Denmark? We here in Canada can’t even protect ourselves.
I say let Greenland talk to the States directly, and if it’s an agreement that could be mutually beneficial for all parties, initiate a referendum. Power to the people!
Yikes. Probably greenland create their own governemnt with denmark. Why do nothing for years? Nunavut doest need a monkey on their back sort of thing. Too heavy to surreal. Lol
I really don’t care anymore if you feel disrespected. A lot of people don’t.
Definitely one of Nunatsiaq’s favorite pet victims.
All about seaports and Transportation routes… if all the seaports were to be damaged all over the world… who would be the first to go out of business.
Failed mega projects are making the greed go faster than the climate change can keep up… and at the same time… technology and drugs are emerging together… money monkeys or ice monkeys is all they have… lol
The last I counted, there was only one country that Greenland has to defend itself from and that is the US of A.
Trump has always been a Nazi, never had acknowledged the existence of Eskimos, typical Gestapo Nazi.
As a casino owner, he once famously complained at a congressional hearing that the people running casinos on Reservations “dont look like Indians” and shouldnt be allowed to the run the casinos. Not even joking you can look it up.
The headline of this article is misleading. I was expecting at least a word of support for Greenland making its own decisions, in concert with Denmark, a statement offering at least moral support for Greenland. But… nothing. Same thing with Inuit Circumpolar Conference. Nothing. So much for solidarity. They could have at least issued statements with the usual word pablum stating their support.
I did express my support, I guess it was just too subtle.
Trump is taking direction from Putin.
The US will sieze Greenland to destroy NATO. Then Putin will try to occupy Ukraine and threaten the rest of Europe.
Country Behave as Human Behave, You Can Help Your Friend The neighbour By Giving Him or Lending Him Many Things He Needs By Being His Best Friend and if Your Good and Behave to benefit all humanity, Then You Shouldn’t Ask Nothing in Return or Use Him to Take advantage of him by Using & Stealing From Him. If Your Bad You Will Give and in Return expect & Force Him To Repay You Double For All The Help You Gave him and Not Be His Friend By Acting selfless Ways That Only Benefit You and Only You Not Caring at All, These are same as Country Do To Other, They Help, Give Aid But What Will They Ask in Return ? All & Everything ? or Just Help For The Sake Of Global Humanity Advance ? Weather its, USA, China or Russia its All The Same, I Beleive They Are No Good or Bad Country, Only Their Action Dictate If They Behave Good or Bad For Mankind & Humanity. The Sooner Man unite and Gloriously Work Together as oppose to against Each Other, The Sooner We Can Reach The Star, The Moon,Mars and Beyond. By Real Peace & National Cooperation We Can Achieve All That and a Lot More Then We Can Actually Do With Wars and Fake News,Lies and Fake Peace. Sometime Ation Of a Country is Base on The Move of Other Country, Such as in a Global Cold War Game of Global Chess, Making Move Base On The Move of The Adverssary, Sometime Blaming The Adversary For a Move That Was Made Base on Their on Previous Move, Lots Are Hidden to us, Not All is Easy To Clearly See and Understand for us. May We All Unite As Soon As Possible as We are Need it To all join and Cooperate To Globally Advance in a Peaceful Ways Scientifically Faster and better all our technology in The Name of Human Kind, Peace