Danish Perspective on Trump: ‘He Is a Child’

It’s easy to find the Greenlandic perspective on a trip to Nuuk, but it can be harder to find people of different nationalities and therefore different perspectives. Troels is a Danish tourist, visiting Nuuk to see his husband.

His voice falls into a hush as he begins to share his experience in Greenland for the first time, respecting the quiet ambiance and historical weight of the museum.

“People are so nice [here],” Troels said. “I don’t know how it is, [being] American.”

Geopolitical tensions have grown between America, Denmark and Greenland as President Donald Trump again sets his sights on annexing the mineral-rich, strategically located island. He’s claimed the U.S. “needs” the island for national security, but it doesn’t seem like Denmark is willing to budge.

Greenlanders don’t feel so fondly about Trump, and Troels explained that Danes don’t either.

“Denmark has been a close ally to the states. I think it’s just kind of stupid,” Troels said. “I think it’s just totally insane.”

He said that Danish media and government try to balance feelings of negativity with the important allyship, calling Denmark “very diplomatic.” But there’s still a sense of fear with Trump’s threats to take over the island.

Strong feelings on Trump, America

“I think NATO sent soldiers from eight countries to Greenland the last time Trump talked about it. There’s a lot of diplomatic stuff going on,” he said. “Just waiting on you [Americans] to pick a new president.”

But Troels said he believes the relationship between Denmark and the U.S. soured even before Trump began to talk about Greenland. “Just his views and everything, I think we [Danes] see you [America] as kind of fascist. It’s very right wing, harsh on immigration, climate change is something we [Denmark] care about.”

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why Trump wants Greenland, whether it be for his “Golden Dome” or for the untapped minerals, but Troels said “maybe he just wants land because he is a child.”

“I think he’s immoral. He’s behaving like a child,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a strategy, some weird tactic, he seems unstable.”

Perceptions of America have soured after the reelection of Trump, causing American tourists to maybe feel on edge in foreign countries. Troels said he is “worried that half the country would vote for that,” but also said he knows that the Democratic party has struggled to find solutions for “common people who are working class.”

He also acknowledged the trend of politics leaning further right, even in Europe.

When asked what Troels would say to Trump if he had the chance, it was simple: “Chill.”

After the interview, Troels asked that Media Milwaukee only use his first name to not impact his ability to get a visa.

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This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into Greenland’s people, history, and culture. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program at UW-Milwaukee. Other stories from the project are available on Edge of the Arctic: Greenland, the Land of the People.

This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club, and a private donor.