Trump team allegedly bribed Greenlanders for support in purchase promo
3 Min Read
US President-elect Donald Trump is accused of bribing Greenlandic homeless people to show their support for his purchase of the autonomous Island.
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President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, Thursday, January 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida (AP)
The Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) reported Friday that members of US President-elect Donald Trump's team allegedly bribed homeless Greenlanders with food to secure their support in a promotional video advocating for the purchase of the island.
According to DR, Donald Trump Jr. traveled to Greenland on Tuesday, following his father's assertion that it was "an absolute necessity" for the US to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory within Denmark.
Trump later posted a video on his Truth Social account showing individuals, purportedly Greenlanders, wearing "Make America Great Again" baseball caps and endorsing the idea of the US purchasing the island. In the video, one individual suggested such a move could enhance Greenland's education and healthcare systems.
"Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 7, 2025
pic.twitter.com/ddbaV7G9x1
However, DR's investigation revealed that some participants in the video were socially vulnerable individuals who often gathered near Nuuk's Brugseni supermarket. Supermarket employees confirmed seeing Trump's team distributing caps and inviting people to a free dinner at the Hans Egede Hotel in exchange for participating in the video.
A Nuuk resident recognized some of the individuals featured in the footage and claimed Trump’s team had actively sought out people willing to support the proposal on camera. "They are being bribed. This is all very trivial ... They were aggressive cherry-picking people who were ready to say that Greenland should be bought," the resident told DR.
Greenland lawmaker Aaja Chemnitz condemned the actions, criticizing the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for political gain. "This does not sit right with me. People were given free food in exchange for wearing caps and being extras in social media videos and podcasts," she said to DR.
Greenland, once a Danish colony, has been an autonomous territory since 2009, managing its domestic policies while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The island’s leadership has consistently rejected Trump's 2019 proposal to purchase Greenland, asserting its right to self-governance and independence.
Greenlandic, Danish leaders meet
Greenland's leader met with the Danish king in Copenhagen following Trump's comments about annexing the Arctic island.
Trump, set to take office on January 20, stated on Tuesday that he would not dismiss the possibility of using military or economic measures against Denmark to bring Greenland into the United States.
Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who arrived in Copenhagen late Tuesday, had previously stated that his meeting with Denmark's King Frederik, scheduled for Wednesday, would be postponed. However, on Wednesday, the Danish royal court announced that the meeting would go ahead, without providing further details.
Greenland, home to a population of 57,000, has been a part of Denmark for 600 years, and now manages most of its internal affairs as a semi-sovereign territory within the Danish realm.
Egede has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, and in his New Year speech, he intensified efforts for the island's independence from Denmark. Denmark has also asserted that the territory is not for sale, emphasizing that its future can only be determined by the people of Greenland.
