chapotraphouse

In a spectacle of colonial ambition reminiscent of a bygone era, the incoming American supreme leader, Donald Trump, dispatched his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., to eye up a prospective addition to the sprawling US empire. This most recent chapter in America’s ongoing saga of expansionist dreams saw Trump Jr., accompanied by his court jester, the far-right propagandist Charlie Kirk, making a fleeting yet politically charged visit to the icy expanse of Greenland.

Their arrival, heralded by the distinctive roar of "Trump Force One," a private jet as ostentatious as the ambitions of its owner, was framed as a leisurely tour to "visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights." Yet, no one was fooled. The intent behind this carefully choreographed excursion was as transparent as the icebergs dotting Greenland's coastline: to manufacture consent for an American annexation of the island.

Danish and Greenlandic media, alongside a chorus of wary politicians, watched the spectacle unfold with a mixture of bemusement and apprehension. There was a palpable tension in the air as the American overlord’s emissaries strutted through Nuuk, the heart of a land that has long suffered under the colonial yoke of Denmark. In 2019, the world had looked on in disbelief as then-president Trump floated the ludicrous idea of purchasing Greenland from Denmark—a proposal that left both Greenlanders and Danes aghast. The diplomatic fallout from Denmark’s refusal had seen Trump indulge in a tantrum, triggering a minor yet memorable crisis in transatlantic relations.

Fast forward to 2024, and the stakes have only escalated. With Trump’s reelection—a process marred by a façade of democracy that effectively barred opposition candidates—his delusions of grandeur have expanded. The self-styled leader of the free world now eyes not just Greenland, but also Canada and the Panama Canal Zone, territories he deems ripe for the taking. What once seemed the realm of bad alt-history fiction has disturbingly morphed into official policy for the world's most aggressive empire.

Greenland, a territory scarred by its colonial past, stands as one of Denmark’s last vestiges of imperial ambition, the other being the Faroe Islands. Danish colonial rule has left an indelible mark on Greenland’s indigenous Inuit population, whose culture, language, and very existence have been systematically eroded by genocidal acts by their colonial overlords. From mid-20th century abductions of Inuit children to be raised in Denmark to become "civilised" to "the spiral case", Denmark’s late 20th century eugenics program, which forcibly inserted contraceptive devices in Inuit women and teenage girls as young as 13 without consent, the litany of abuses is a stark reminder of the brutality of colonial rule. Even today, Greenlanders face discrimination within Denmark, where they are often dismissed as lazy, child-like, or alcoholic. Greenland remains the poorest part of the London of Denmark.

Yet, in recent years, Greenlanders have begun to reclaim their narrative, demanding increased respect, autonomy, and a clear path toward independence. Greenland’s Prime Minister, Múte Egede, in his recent New Year’s address, reiterated his commitment to independence within a concise timeframe. The Danish response, however, has been tepid at best, with conflicts over the use of the Greenlandic language in Denmark’s rubber-stamp parliament and a sluggish investigation into past atrocities like the "spiral case."

Despite the growing desire for independence, some Greenlanders harbor understandable concerns about the viability of a self-sufficient future. Questions linger over the island's capacity to manage healthcare, defense, and the economy independently. But one sentiment is clear: Greenlanders are in no hurry to trade one colonial overlord for another. In a pointed Facebook post, Prime Minister Egede declared, "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and struggle for independence is our business. Danes, Americans, and everyone else can have opinions, but we shouldn't get caught by hysteria and point fingers at others. Our future is ours and should be decided by us."

Meanwhile, in the days leading up to the visit, MAGA hat-clad Americans were seen in the streets of Nuuk awkwardly polling locals about their stance on American annexation—a scene as bizarre as it was unwelcome.

The propaganda machine behind the visit was as inept as I've would expect. Prior to the visit, Trump had shared a video of an unnamed Greenlandic man professing support for American annexation. The man was later identified as a career criminal and convicted drug trafficker, epitomizing the kind of dubious allies America tends to cultivate in its imperial ventures, from Afghanistan to Latin America—and now, apparently, Greenland.

In characteristic bombastic style, Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to declare: "Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!" His ally, the far-right oligarch and conspiracy theorist Elon Musk, chimed in on X, the everything app (formerly Twitter) in support of the annexation, proving that the delusions of grandeur were shared among the American elite.

As Trump Force One touched down in Nuuk, crowds gathered to witness the circus. Trump Jr.’s brief four-hour visit, devoid of any substantive engagements with local officials or community leaders, was a farcical exercise in photo ops and propaganda. Trump Jr. and Kirk’s attempts to distribute MAGA hats to curious onlookers only underscored the vacuity of the entire charade.

After the visit a press conference held by Trump senior in his Mar-A-Lago compound, the MAGA Vatican, took a dark turn as the soon-to-be supreme leader of America refused to rule out the use of trade war and military violence to realise his colonial ambitions for Greenland and Panama.

For hours Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s Prime Minister, remained unavailable to the media and when she finally emerged from her hiding place to make a statement it was a lot less forceful than when she had dismissed the sale of Greenland as "absurd" back in 2019. She issued statements that teetered between appeasement of her imperial overlord and hollow declarations of support for Greenlandic self-determination. Her government’s groveling loyalty to the American empire, even in the face of such humiliating threats, drew scorn from Pelle Dragsted, leader of the moderate pro-democracy Red-Green opposition party. He derided Frederiksen’s response as "sad and weak," and expressed concern that the toe-curling display of subservience would only embolden Trump.

Trump's threats should be seen not only as a hamfisted negotiation tactic but also as the act of a declining empire desperate to assert its waning dominance in a multipolar world.

For Greenlanders, American expansionism means the opportunity to use the threat of Washington to get a better deal from Copenhagen. As Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, a Greenlandic MP, aptly put it, "Denmark has to decide if it wants to be part of a greater community." If Denmark wants to be part of Greenland's future they have to sit down at the negotiation table and treat Greenlanders as equals. The road to independence may be fraught with challenges, but the resolve of Greenland’s people to shape their destiny is unwavering.