RT reported that the survey results conducted by the US research company Patriot Polling and published on January 13 showed that 57.3% of Greenlanders surveyed agreed with Donald Trump's proposal, while 37.4% opposed it and the remaining 5.3% were undecided.
The survey was conducted from January 6-11, with the participation of 416 Greenlanders, coinciding with the time Donald Trump Jr., son of the president-elect, visited this autonomous territory.
“Our survey shows that a majority of Greenlanders surveyed support joining the United States,” Patriot Polling said. However, this is the first time the company has conducted a survey outside the United States, raising questions about the objectivity of the results.
Trump proposed buying Greenland during his first term in 2019, but the idea was rejected. He recently returned to the idea, even saying at a press conference that the US could use force if necessary to take control of the world’s largest island. “We may have to do something… Greenland is very important to the national security of the United States,” Trump said.
Responding to this statement, Greenland's leader, Mr. Mute Egede, emphasized: "Greenland belongs to the Greenland people. We do not want to be Danish, nor do we want to be American." He also affirmed his desire for independence and promised to hold a vote on this issue in the near future.
However, Mr. Egede did not close the door to dialogue with the US, expressing his readiness to cooperate: "We are ready to talk to Mr. Trump and want to maintain cooperative relations with the US."
Greenland, with an area of 2.2 million square kilometers, 80% of which is covered by ice, and a population of less than 57,000, is a strategically important point in the Arctic region. The island is rich in natural resources, including gold, silver, copper and uranium, and is believed to have large oil reserves under its territorial waters.
Greenland also plays an important role in NATO's defense strategy, especially as Arctic shipping routes become increasingly viable due to melting ice.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has voiced his support for Greenland becoming part of the United States, writing on X: “If the people of Greenland want to join the United States, that would be great!” Musk made the comments after a survey from the University of Copenhagen found that a majority of Greenlanders polled supported independence.
Still, Greenland's leader, Mr. Egede, emphasized the desire for autonomy: "We want to be masters of our own home... This is something that everyone should respect."
Greenland has been an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979 and has been gradually gaining more autonomy. In 2009, the Autonomy Law was passed following a 2008 referendum, giving the island more control over its internal affairs, while Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense.
