Harry Enten, CNN’s chief data analyst, recently discussed why President Trump’s plan to take over Greenland is one of the most unpopular ideas he’s ever heard. Enten looked at a recent Fox News poll and shared some surprising numbers. The poll showed that 70% of Americans don’t like the U.S. to take control of Greenland. Only 26% of people supported the idea. Enten pointed out that even among Republicans, half of them disagree with the plan. This is a clear sign that most Americans do not think it’s a good idea.
A Poll That Shows How Unpopular the Idea Is
The poll results surprised many. The percentage of Americans who oppose the plan is higher than those who wanted President Nixon removed from office during his impeachment process. This shows just how unpopular the idea of annexing Greenland is, even across political lines. Even among Republicans, a large portion of them disagree with Trump on this issue. Enten emphasized how rare it is to see such widespread disapproval, making it clear that this is not a typical political disagreement.
Trump and Vance’s Push for the Plan
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have been pushing for the idea of taking over Greenland. They argue that the people living there would be better off as part of the U.S. Trump recently said that the U.S. needs Greenland for “international security” and “world peace.” He believes the Arctic territory is crucial for the United States to maintain a strong position globally. This reasoning has been echoed by Vance as well. However, many people find it hard to agree with this view, especially considering how unpopular the plan is among the American public. Clearly, many Americans don’t like the idea of annexing Greenland.
Denmark’s Strong Resistance
Denmark, which controls Greenland, has made it clear that it opposes the U.S. taking control of the territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s comments by calling the pressure on Greenland “unacceptable.” She said Denmark would resist any attempts to take control of Greenland. Frederiksen’s strong response shows that the Danish government has no interest in giving up control over the territory. Greenland itself has also shown that it doesn’t want to be part of the U.S. Moreover, Americans don’t like what Trump’s administration is proposing, and this has become a major point of disagreement between the U.S. and Denmark.
Greenland Residents Don’t Want to Join the U.S.
A poll in Greenland showed that most residents are not interested in joining the United States. The poll found that 85% of Greenland’s population said no when asked if they wanted to become part of America. Only 6% of respondents supported the idea. This shows that the vast majority of Greenlanders prefer to remain as they are, separate from the U.S. and under Denmark’s control. When compared to other issues, this response is extremely strong. For example, only around 10% of Americans still believe the moon landing was faked, which shows just how unlikely it is for such a small percentage of people to support a major change like this. Given this context, it is evident that Americans don’t like the idea of taking over Greenland.
The U.S. Has Been Interested in Greenland Before
The idea of the U.S. taking control of Greenland is not new. After World War II, President Harry Truman’s administration tried to secure a military base on the island. The U.S. even offered Denmark $100 million in gold, which would be worth about $1 billion today. The goal was to protect U.S. interests during the Cold War, as Greenland’s location made it important for defense. However, Denmark rejected the offer, and instead, the two countries agreed on a long-term deal to allow the U.S. to have a military base there. This shows that the U.S. has always seen Greenland as strategically important. However, Americans don’t like the repeated attempts to take over Greenland, as shown by historical and current polling data.
A Historical Look at U.S. Interest in Greenland
Back in 1947, when the U.S. first offered to buy Greenland, only 33% of Americans supported the idea. A 1947 poll found that 38% of Americans were against the purchase. Enten pointed out that, in all of U.S. history, no poll has shown more Americans supporting the idea of buying Greenland than those against it. This long history of disapproval shows that, even today, Americans don’t like the idea of taking control of the territory. The idea may seem far-fetched now, just as it did in the past.
This long history of failed attempts to take control of Greenland highlights the continued resistance both from Greenland’s residents and from the general American public. It seems clear that the U.S. will not be gaining control of Greenland anytime soon.
