Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede Calls For Independence From Denmark After Trump Seeks To Acquire It

In a New Year’s address, Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede called for independence from Denmark and the end of colonialism.

With a population of just 60,000, Greenland is the world’s largest island. It was a Danish colony until 1979, when it gained a self-ruling parliament.

Greenland remains a territory of Denmark, and Cophenhagen controls its foreign and defense policy.

The call for independence comes after President-elect Donald Trump proposed buying Greeland from Denmark last month for the second time, saying acquiring Arctic territory is necessary for U.S. growth.

“It is now time to take the next step for our country. Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation – which we can describe as the shackles of the colonial era – and move on,” stated Egede.

Egede has led Greenland since 2021 and represents the pro-independence Community of the People (IA) party. He believes Greenland’s relations with Denmark have not given them adequate equality, and they deserve to represent themselves on the world stage. He has said that Greenland’s relations with other countries cannot function solely through Denmark.

According to a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenland can declare independence through a successful referendum, which Egede hinted at with the upcoming parliamentary election in April.

Egede says work has already begun to make Greenland an independent state. In response to Trump’s proposal, Egede declared Greenland is not for sale. In 2019, Danish Prime Minister Metter Frederksen called Trump’s bid “absurd.”

Recently, Denmark announced boosting defense spending in Greenland by 1.3 billion Danish kroner ($179 million).

Greenland has rich mineral resources but counts on Copenhagen for notable financial assistance with an annual aid of 500 million Danish kroner ($69 million).