Some Greenlandic Inuit say work on independence from Denmark will come amidst fight against U.S. threats

Karla Jessen Williamson was just 11 when she was relocated from Greenland to Denmark for school in the 1960s — just one of several colonial policies forced upon Greenlanders. 

Over the decades, Greenland has gained more autonomy from the Kingdom of Denmark. But recent threats from U.S. President Donald Trump about taking over Greenland has brought the autonomous territory closer to the country that colonized it. 

That has brought up uneasy feelings for Greenlanders like Williamson. She served on Greenland’s Reconciliation Commission and is now an associate professor in education at the University of Saskatchewan. 

“I would say that the Greenlanders are very much caught up with this Stockholm syndrome where you have no other place to go but to go to old relationships and try to do something about that situation,” she said.

“But I do know that the sentiment is very much like that of we don’t want to be Americans, and we are not Danes either.”

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Greenland, which has a population of 57,000, has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark for the better part of 300 years. In 1953, its colonial status was officially abolished, and in 2009 was granted an expanded form of self-governance. 

Denmark still retains responsibility for Greenland’s foreign affairs and defence policy, and the Danish krone remains the currency. But the self-government act also sets out a process for Greenland to gain independence, and in 2023, a Greenlandic Constitutional Commission proposed ways for how to move forward with independence. 

Trump’s aggression towards Greenland may have thrown a spanner in the works, but people like Aaju Peter are hopeful that could bring a new sense of importance to the conversation — once the threats die down. The lawyer grew up in Greenland, but now watches the country’s affairs from the other side of the Davis Strait in Iqaluit. 

“The work on independence will come and Greenlanders are saying they’re still working on it, but right now they have, from what I can see, have decided to work together [with Denmark] and give a united front,” she said. 

Military ties with U.S. date back to WWII

Trump’s military interest in Greenland isn’t new for the United States. 

Denmark itself was occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and a treaty in 1941 was signed to give U.S. military access to protect Greenland. 

But that relationship didn’t stop there. Then came the threat of Soviet aggression, and the treaty was updated in 1951 to establish a legal framework under NATO for the U.S. to operate military bases on the island.

During the Cold War, the U.S. maintained as many as 13 military bases in Greenland. Today it has one continuously operated facility. 

Sara Olsvig, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, based in Nuuk, Greenland, says she doesn’t believe Greenlanders ever imagined that agreement with the U.S. would end.

“There’s a very pragmatic approach to knowing that we need a strong defence alliance to be part of a strong defence alliance … you know, our nation is a very big island,” she said. 

While she says the people of Greenland stand with western NATO alliances, Greenlanders also place importance on states to “uphold international law, rules-based order, territorial integrity, puts democracy and human rights at the forefront”. 

But in her view, the biggest threat to Greenland’s security isn’t necessarily a military one — but one that affects the entire planet and requires co-operation from all countries.

“Climate change is a big, big challenge for the whole world and we should really be focusing on that. And we should also be careful that we do not move towards a situation where conflict and confrontation is something that starts to occur in our region, in the Arctic,” she said. 

But whatever the governance may be going forward, Williamson stresses that reclamation of the Greenlandic language of Kalaallisut must be a priority.

What expanded self governance would look like

There are several possible paths forward for Greenland. Independence would mean Greenland would have its own constitution, rather than being an autonomous territory operating under Denmark’s constitution.

However, a United Nations paper raises questions about whether independence is in the country’s best interest, at least for now. Greenland would have to considerably increase its revenues to compensate for the loss of Danish subsidies, though the island does possess many natural resources, as well as “rare earth elements” that are now accessible due to melting ice. 

Aside from independence, there’s also the free association model. That would see a larger state, presumably Denmark, carry out specific powers for Greenland while it transitions toward full economic self-sufficiency. 

For now, Olsvig doesn’t believe Greenland’s politicians are considering cutting ties with Greenland completely.

“I think everybody has always thought that there would continuously be a developing relationship with Denmark, but in an equal manner … That’s what Greenland is aspiring for,  to become an independent state, but of course doing so in an alliance.”