This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
On August 16, 2019, the world was abuzz with news that the American president was considering purchasing Greenland, a nation of 56,000 people with a shared history with Denmark dating back to the Viking era.
However, the idea of Greenland being 'for sale' was met with derision from politicians and residents alike, who saw it as a commodification of their nation.
"It's never nice to be treated as a commodity," said Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish Parliament.
Henrik O. Breitenbauch, an expert on Greenland and the head of the Center for Military Studies at Copenhagen University, echoed these sentiments, stating, "You don't just trade people and countries."
The speculation surrounding Trump's interest in Greenland was fueled by his background as a real estate developer, who tends to view the world through the lens of acquisitions.
Greenland's unique location, with its proximity to international sea routes and rich mineral deposits, makes it an attractive prospect for investors.
However, the island's residents may see little to gain from exchanging the Danish queen as their head of state with an American president who has angered traditional allies by disparaging NATO and pulling the United States out of long-held treaties like the Paris climate accord.
