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Greenland Doesn’t Want to Be “Owned”: Why Greenlanders Reject Joining the U.S. (and Why Denmark Isn’t the Endgame Either)

 Greenland Doesn’t Want to Be “Owned”  and That’s the Whole Point

There’s a certain type of headline that pops up every few months like a stubborn notification you can’t clear: “Should the U.S. buy Greenland?” Or “Why doesn’t Greenland just join America?” Sometimes it’s framed as a bold geopolitical move. Sometimes it’s said like a real-estate pitch: huge land, tiny population, strategic location, minerals, shipping lanes, blah blah.

And every time it trends, you can almost hear Greenland collectively sigh.



Because here’s the thing most outsiders miss: Greenland isn’t an empty white square on a map waiting for a flag. It’s a country with a people, a language, a parliament, and a very long memory. It’s also a place that has spent decades moving in one direction toward more autonomy and eventual self-determination so the idea of being absorbed by anyone (U.S. or Denmark) runs against the story Greenlanders are trying to write about themselves.

This blog is a explanation of why Greenland has no interest in becoming part of the U.S., and why many Greenlanders also don’t see “remaining Danish forever” as the end goal either. The short version is: Greenland wants partnership, not ownership. The long version well, that’s what you’re reading.

First, a reality check: Greenland is not “up for grabs”



Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but it has extensive self-rule. Greenland has its own parliament and government and controls many internal affairs. Denmark still handles things like foreign affairs and defense in key ways, but Greenland’s political evolution has been toward more power locally, not less.

And legally, Greenland’s Self-Government framework explicitly recognizes Greenlanders as a people with the right of self-determination under international law. That matters because it shifts the whole conversation from “who can buy Greenland?” to “what do Greenlanders choose?”

So when you hear U.S. politicians talk about acquiring Greenland, it doesn’t land as clever strategy. It lands as: Are you talking about us like we’re property?

That tone more than any single policy detail is a big reason the idea is unpopular.

What Greenlanders actually want: dignity, control, and a future they choose

If you want to understand Greenland’s politics, you have to understand the emotional core: Kalaallit Nunaat (the Greenlandic name for Greenland) is not trying to become someone else. It’s trying to become more fully itself.

The population is predominantly Inuit (Kalaallit and other groups). Identity is not a side-note there it is politics, culture, education, and language policy.

Over the last few decades, Greenland has been steadily strengthening:

  • its language in public life (Greenlandic became the sole official language in 2009),

  • local decision-making,

  • and the idea that Greenland should have the final say on its resources and development.

That’s why the question “why not become part of the U.S.?” often feels to Greenlanders like the wrong question. The more accurate question is: why would we give up hard-won autonomy to become someone else’s state/territory?

The U.S. idea fails on the most basic test: Greenlanders don’t want it

This isn’t speculation. Polling has repeatedly shown low support for joining the United States. One Reuters-reported poll in 2025 found 85% of Greenlanders opposed becoming part of the U.S.

So you can stop right there and still have the simplest answer: people generally don’t want to be annexed.

But let’s go deeper because that “no” is built from layers: history, culture, economics, security, and an instinctive resistance to being treated like a strategic object.

1) The “for sale” vibe triggers Greenland’s colonial trauma

Greenland’s modern relationship with Denmark is complicated. Danish colonization began in the 18th century, Greenland was long treated as a colony, and later it was integrated into Denmark in the 1950s without Greenlanders being meaningfully consulted in the way we’d expect today.

And then there are darker chapters that still shape political emotion.

One of the most frequently referenced examples: the Thule/Pituffik area relocations in the early Cold War era, where Inuit families were moved to make way for U.S. military expansion. Even outside Greenland, this story is documented and widely discussed.

So when outsiders casually propose “acquisition,” many Greenlanders hear echoes of an older pattern:

  • Powerful countries decide.

  • Greenlanders adapt.

  • Greenlanders pay the cost.

That’s not a theoretical fear. It has happened before.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: American strategic interest is one reason it happened. Greenlanders know the U.S. is not entering the conversation because it loves Greenlandic culture. It’s entering because Greenland is a key Arctic position.

That alone makes “join the U.S.” feel like stepping into a familiar trap.

2) Identity isn’t a costume you swap Greenland is Inuit-majority, with its own language and worldview

Greenlandic identity is not “Danish with snow.” It’s Inuit-majority, with Greenlandic language (Kalaallisut and others), traditions, and a social fabric shaped by Arctic life.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

If Greenland became part of the U.S., Greenlanders would become a tiny minority in a huge country. Their language would not be the administrative default. Their cultural priorities would be competing with the priorities of 330+ million people who through no malice, just distance would not wake up thinking about Greenlandic needs.

Greenlanders have spent decades trying to move away from decisions being made elsewhere. Joining the U.S. would multiply that “elsewhere” into something even bigger than Copenhagen.

So yes Greenlanders speak Danish, many have ties to Denmark, and Denmark is deeply woven into Greenland’s modern institutions. But Greenlandic politics has increasingly emphasized Greenlandic language and nationhood.

That’s not a movement that ends with “and then we become American.”

3) Greenland already gets the strategic benefits without needing annexation



The United States already has a major military presence in Greenland: Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base). It’s strategically important for missile warning and Arctic monitoring, and it operates under agreements with Denmark/Greenland in a NATO-linked framework.

That matters because it removes the “we need to own it for security” argument. The U.S. can and does protect its strategic interests through alliances and agreements.

So when “ownership” is floated, it feels unnecessary at best and disrespectful at worst.

Greenland has also emphasized that defense should be supported through NATO frameworks, not unilateral takeover fantasies.

In other words: cooperation is fine. Control is not.

4) Greenland’s economy is real and it’s built around fishing, not a gold rush

A lot of “buy Greenland” talk is laced with fantasy: rare earths, minerals, new shipping routes, untapped wealth.

Greenland does have resources, and climate change is making the Arctic more geopolitically interesting. But Greenland’s actual everyday economy jobs, exports, stability leans heavily on fishing and related industries. (This is one reason Greenland historically cared so much about control over fisheries, including in its relationship with European institutions.)

And yes, Greenland receives a significant annual block grant/subsidy from Denmark, which supports public services and welfare. This economic tie is one reason Greenland can’t simply snap its fingers and become fully independent tomorrow, even if independence is a long-term dream.

If Greenland joined the U.S., there is no guarantee that Greenland’s current welfare model, protections, and public spending priorities would be maintained in the same way. U.S. social systems are structured very differently from Nordic ones, and Greenlanders know it.

So the economic question isn’t “would the U.S. be richer with Greenland?”
It’s “would Greenlanders be safer and better served under the U.S. system?”

Most signs point to: they’re not convinced.

5) Greenlanders want more sovereignty, not a new capital city deciding things

Here’s the subtle point outsiders often miss:

Greenland’s future debate is not binary “Denmark vs U.S.”
It’s often “more Greenland vs less Greenland.”

Even when Greenland works with Denmark, many Greenlanders frame it as a relationship to be renegotiated as equals, not a permanent parent-child arrangement. Greenland’s self-government framework explicitly describes it as based on an agreement between equal partners and recognizes the right to self-determination.

So imagine how “become a U.S. territory/state” sounds in that context.

It’s not “freedom.” It’s a different kind of dependency.

6) The Denmark relationship is complicated but it’s still closer than Washington

Now let’s address the second part of your question: Why no interest in becoming part of Denmark either?

This needs nuance.

Greenland is in the Kingdom of Denmark today. Many Greenlanders have family ties, education ties, and practical reasons to keep parts of that relationship stable. But there’s also a strong sense that Greenland is not simply “Danish.”

The modern autonomy journey home rule, then self-government grew partly out of resistance to “danification” policies and limited local influence during earlier periods.

Also, historical wounds matter. Reuters reporting has pointed to multiple sources of strain in the Denmark–Greenland relationship, including forced relocations and other misconduct acknowledged in recent years.

So when Greenlanders say “we don’t want to be part of Denmark,” many mean:

  • we don’t want to be treated as Denmark’s distant province,

  • we don’t want key choices to be decided outside Greenland,

  • and we don’t want our identity diluted into someone else’s national story.

That doesn’t automatically mean hostility toward Denmark. It means a desire for a different relationship, and for many, eventual independence.

7) Greenland has already shown it will walk away from big blocs if it feels controlled

A fascinating piece of Greenland’s political personality: it has already done something few places dare to do.

Greenland joined the European Communities through Denmark, despite local opposition, and then later voted to withdraw after gaining home rule. Greenland left in 1985 after a referendum, and one major driver was control over fisheries and resources and a dislike of distant supranational decisions.

That history matters because it shows a consistent theme: Greenland dislikes decisions imposed from far away.

So if Greenland was willing to leave a powerful European bloc over sovereignty concerns, why would it happily merge into the United States?

8) Greenland doesn’t want to become a geopolitical pawn between superpowers

The Arctic is heating up literally and politically.

As ice changes and shipping, resources, and military planning shift, more big players pay attention: the U.S., Russia, China, EU members. Greenland sits in a strategic position, and everybody knows it.

But Greenland’s leadership has repeatedly signaled it wants security handled through alliances and law, not through becoming someone’s “possession.” That stance was strongly reiterated in recent reporting about Greenland rejecting takeover ideas and emphasizing NATO-based defense.

This is also why some Greenlandic politics looks like a balancing act:

  • “We want investment, but not capture.”

  • “We want partnerships, but not dependence.”

  • “We want visibility, but not to be used.”

That’s not indecision. That’s survival instinct.

So what does Greenland want instead?

If you zoom out, Greenland’s likely preferred path looks something like:

  1. Keep expanding practical self-rule (education, resources, economic capacity).

  2. Reduce economic dependence gradually (hard, slow, politically sensitive).

  3. Build equal partnerships with Denmark, the EU, the U.S., and others without being absorbed.

  4. Eventually decide on independence through Greenlandic democratic choice.

That’s the direction of travel. Even when Greenland says “no” to the U.S., it’s not saying “we want isolation.” It’s saying “we want respect.”


📌 FAQ Section 

Why does Greenland not want to become part of the United States?

Greenlanders largely oppose joining the U.S. because they value self-determination and fear losing cultural, political, and linguistic control. Opinion polls show strong resistance to U.S. annexation, and many Greenlanders see such proposals as treating their homeland like a strategic asset rather than a nation.

Is Greenland currently part of Denmark?

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but governs itself in most internal matters. It has its own parliament and government, while Denmark handles defense and foreign affairs in coordination with Greenland.

Do Greenlanders want full independence?

Many Greenlanders support eventual independence, but there is no fixed timeline. Economic dependence on Denmark and the need for stable governance mean independence is seen as a gradual, long-term goal rather than an immediate move.

Why is Greenland strategically important to the U.S.?

Greenland’s Arctic location is crucial for missile warning systems, space surveillance, and NATO defense. The U.S. already operates the Pituffik Space Base there under existing agreements, making ownership unnecessary for security cooperation.

Has Greenland rejected U.S. takeover proposals before?

Yes. Greenlandic leaders and the public have consistently rejected the idea of becoming part of the United States, stating clearly that Greenland is not for sale and that its future will be decided by Greenlanders alone.

Why doesn’t Greenland want to remain permanently under Denmark either?

While Denmark provides economic support, many Greenlanders feel historical and political decisions were imposed without consent. The long-term aspiration for many is a relationship based on equality or eventual independence not permanent subordination.

What role does culture and language play in Greenland’s decision?

Culture is central. Greenland is Inuit-majority, and the Greenlandic language is a core part of national identity. Joining a larger country risks marginalizing that identity and weakening local control over education and cultural policy.

Could Greenland survive economically without Denmark?

Greenland’s economy relies heavily on fishing and Danish financial support. Reducing dependence is possible but would take time, investment, and careful management of natural resources.



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