Denmark claps back as 200,000 sign petition to buy California from Trump

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: In response to Donald Trump’s recent push to purchase Greenland, a satirical movement in Denmark has emerged, proposing to buy California instead.

Since Trump resumed the presidency, he has made bold assertions about new states and territorial acquisitions, including Canada, the Panama Canal, Gaza, and Greenland itself, which is owned by Denmark.

This prompted over 200,000 Danes to sign a humorous petition suggesting they acquire California, complete with a tongue-in-cheek pitch: “Have you ever looked at a map and thought, ‘You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates.’ Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality,” the petition states.

Its slogan humorously reads “Måke Califørnia Great Ægain,” and purported celebrity supporters such as Lars Ulrich from Metallica and Viggo Mortensen from Lord of the Rings have added their reasons for wanting to transform California into ‘New Denmark’.

The petition promises to introduce ‘hygge to Hollywood’ bike lanes in Beverly Hills, and organic smørrebrød available at every corner, while also advocating for universal healthcare and fact-based politics. It suggests that Trump, who has openly criticized California and its leadership, might be willing to part with the state, especially since he called it ‘the most ruined state in the union’.

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The relationship between Trump and California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has been contentious, with Newsom recently allocating $50 million to counter the Trump administration’s deportation policies and Trump threatening to limit federal disaster aid in response to California’s wildfires.

While the Danish petition is certainly a joke, Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland appears earnest. In 2019, he suggested that the US needed control over the island for its economic advantages. Greenland is believed to hold significant reserves of oil, gas, and other crucial resources, access to which is increasing as climate change melts ice cover.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen affirmed in January that Greenland is “not for sale,” emphasizing that it belongs to the Greenlanders. Similarly, Greenland’s Prime Minister, Múte Egede, stated that Greenlanders prioritize defining their own future, distancing themselves from both American and Danish identities.

Despite the lighthearted nature of the Danish initiative to buy California, Buddy Carter, a Republican representative from Georgia, has introduced a serious legislative proposal to authorize the U.S. purchase of Greenland, even suggesting the new name, ‘Red, White and Blueland’.