Greenland's Newly-Elected PM and Parliament Resist Trump Administration

Greenland’s newly elected prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and its parliament have emphasized the island’s independence from both the United States and Denmark.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, elected prime minister of Greenland on April 7, has asserted his aspirations for the island’s independence amid pressure from the United States. Nielsen is a member of the  left-leaning Demokraatit party, which takes a pro-business stance and is one of Greenland’s moderate parties. At 33, he is the youngest person to hold the position of prime minister, which his supporters see as an asset in championing the causes of a younger generation.

Parliamentary elections were also held in Greenland last March, and the Demokraatit party received the most seats in the 31-member body. The party received roughly 30 percent of the vote, an increase of more than 20 percent from the previous election. Demokraatit plans  to form a coalition government with the three other left-leaning parties, with shared priorities that include economic development, expanding healthcare infrastructure, and achieving full independence from Denmark.

Greenland, located in the Arctic Circle, is the largest non-continental island in the world. Its population of approximately 56,600 is primarily of Indigenous Inuit descent. The islandis a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and while the island has authority over domestic legislation, foreign and security policy is under Danish jurisdiction. Greenland has been advocating for independence since 2009, with four of the five parties in the recent election supporting some form of secession.

The Trump Administration’s interest may complicate Greenland’s progress toward independence and its relationship with Denmark. Greenland and Denmark have long had a contentious relationship, and the United States and Denmark are both military allies within NATO. Since President Trump has threatened to take land in Greenland, Denmark has invested more than $1.5 billion in strengthening the island’s defenses.

Nielsen’s election comes as American President Donald Trump has taken an interest in Greenland as a source of natural resources materials. According to the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, states that the island is rich in minerals such as coal, graphite, and uranium. Though coal has been mined in the area since the 1700s, the operations have been small, and the United States has not previously been involved with this process.

Members of the Trump administration traveled to Greenland on March 28. Vice President JD Vance visited a U.S. military base on the island and met with Nielsen to discuss expanding the American military presence. Vance reiterated the Trump administration’s support for Greenlandic independence ,while accusing Denmark of failing to ensure the island’s security. While the United States will not alter its current troop presence in Greenland, it plans to expand the number of naval ships deployed in the Arctic region.

When addressing the issue of independence, Nielsen has spoken in favor of  a gradual approach. “We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders,” Nielsen said. “And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope.”