Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. After landing in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, Donald Trump junior sought to take stock of local feelings around his father’s plans to take over the Arctic island. A hotel meeting room in the centre of town was the venue for this putative act of spontaneous and popular assembly.
Don Jr’s entourage said it encouraged ordinary Greenlanders from all walks of life—but no journalists or politicians—to drop by for a frank conversation about the issues facing Greenland. In reality, locals say, the dozen or so attendees included homeless people coaxed from across the street with the promise of some MAGA merch and a free meal at one of Nuuk’s nicest restaurants. The stunt was hardly representative of what Greenlanders really make of Donald Trump’s recent outbursts.
In Nuuk, opinions range from apathy to bewilderment to fear. Some are washed over by unease. “He’s scary," says Ruth, who works at a cultural centre.
“We don’t want him here." She says many Greenlanders take Denmark for granted and that America’s historically poor treatment of indigenous populations in Alaska is a big part of her concern (Greenland’s population is 89% Inuit). Three young construction workers nearby are more amenable to the prospect of American ownership. “It would open economic opportunities for us," one tells The Economist.
“I wouldn’t mind" smirks another when asked whether he would like an American passport. “But for me it’s always Greenland first." Greenlanders say that the past week of global attention has brought the issue of independence back to the fore. The island’s 56,000 people chafe under what they consider a 300 year-old colonial rule from Denmark.
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