“We Don’t Want To Be Just A Piece Of Ice”: Greenlanders In Reykjavík React To Trump’s Fantasies Of A “Large Real Estate Deal”

There was a charged tension in the air in mid-January. First in Nuuk, then Copenhagen, later in Davos, and finally in Reykjavík — a sense that the world order was shifting. What once seemed absurd — the idea of a major world power invading a neighbour, joking about buying it, punishing dissent with tariffs, or inviting authoritarian regimes to sit on the so-called “Board of Peace” — suddenly felt uncomfortably real. And at the centre of it all was one line: “All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.”

The tensions surrounding the idea of the U.S. taking over Greenland have been dragging on for over a year, but it wasn’t until January 2026 that Greenlanders themselves finally had a seat at the table (though just for a day). Speaking at a recent panel discussion on governance and geopolitics in Greenland and the Arctic at the University of Iceland, Karsten Peter Jensen, Head of the Greenlandic Representation in Reykjavík, said, “We want to be in the conversation. We don’t want to be just the subject, we don’t want to be just a piece of ice.”

Greenlanders living in Iceland, a small community of an estimated 40 to 50 people, have been following events at home with growing anxiety. Many haven’t slept well in recent weeks, worrying about family, and hoping Greenland could be left in peace. We spoke to a few of them to ask what it feels like to watch the news from afar.

Julia Kristine Isaksen, 45, has been living and working in Iceland since the early 2000s. She works as a receptionist at Röntgen Domus and provides translation and interpreting services from and to Icelandic, Greenlandic, and English.

First coming to Iceland for a temporary job, she kept extending her stay, and eventually settled here long term.

Among the reasons she enjoys living in Iceland, Julia highlights being close to her children. “I want to be near my kids, my children, my girls,” she says. “And the easier transportation — you don’t have to be so dependent on the weather like in Greenland. Things go a little bit faster in Iceland, you know.” She takes a moment to think and adds, “That’s also the part I like about Greenland — things go a bit slower, there’s less stress.”

The last few weeks, however, haven’t been stress-free for Greenlanders, including those who live abroad like Julia, who have felt everything from disbelief and confusion to serious worry.

“It’s been rough days, even weeks, never really knowing what will happen and what news you will wake up to.”

“It’s been rough days, even weeks, when it was most intense, never really knowing what will happen and what news you will wake up to,” she shares.

Julia comes from Qassiarsuk, a tiny settlement in southern Greenland with a population of 39 as of 2020. Her mother, two brothers, and many cousins live in Greenland, and she stays in constant touch with them while checking the news regularly. “I look at Danish, Greenlandic, Icelandic, Norwegian news — every news [source] I can get — New York Times… It looks like it’s calming down a little, but I don’t think it is,” she says.

Julia’s mother still lives in Qassiarsuk. They have discussed the worst-case scenarios, and Julia’s offered to have her come to Iceland, should things escalate. She feels she has to be “on call, and ready for all kinds of situations.”

“I’m afraid about my mom,” she says. “My brothers are not as worried as me. Of course, they are aware of it, but they both live in Nuuk, and they’re pretty calm about it.”

According to a recent survey by Verian, commissioned by the Danish daily newspaper Berlingske, only six percent of Greenlanders support the idea of Greenland becoming a part of the U.S.

“I don’t want Greenland to be part of America,” Julia says firmly. “Most of my friends are against it, of course. Actually, I don’t know anyone who would like to become part of America.”

Despite the tension and uncertainty, Julia believes that this newfound attention to Greenland could benefit Greenlanders in the long run.

“I don’t think we need an introduction anymore,” she says. “A few years back, nobody really knew about Greenland. Everyone knows about Greenland now and why he wants us. He wants Greenland so much. All [Greenlanders] have to do is use this kind of platform wisely.”

Julia supports Greenland remaining part of Denmark — for now. “I know that sooner than later, they’re striving to become independent,” she adds.

“The message was clear: Greenland shouldn’t be bought, and Greenlanders shouldn’t be under any other country again.”

Even given the painful history and decades of collective trauma, Julia sees potential in continued cooperation with Denmark. “Of course, it’s hard to recover from everything, but you cannot just be angry all the time,” she says. “Denmark will have to pay for what they have done. Greenland just has to be quite smart with what they want because so many doors will open for them if they use it wisely.”

Donald Trump’s repeated mentions of Iceland, accidental or not, make Julia wonder if the U.S. might set its sights on Iceland next. “It’s a possibility,” she says. “Personally, I think it’s just to get the attention a little bit from him because he’s very unpopular with that. It’s kind of strategic for him as well. It’s been like that the last time, during World War Two.”

As for the Greenlandic community in Iceland, Julia says there used to be more Greenlanders in Reykjavík. She still knows a few people and attended a demonstration in support of Greenland a week ago. “The message was clear: Greenland shouldn’t be bought, and Greenlanders shouldn’t be under any other country again.”

Photo by Simon King

Ane Gudmundsson, 70, shares similar sentiments to Julia. Ane spent 21 years in Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland before moving to Iceland in 2019. She’s been married to an Icelander for 19 years.

She loves Icelandic nature and the kindness of people around her, but stays connected to Greenland and visits her family every year. The current situation has made her check the local news more often — she’s mainly been relying on the news programme KNR TV Qanorooq.

“The situation in Greenland has been very emotional lately, and I hope it will soon be over,” says Ane. “It’s hard to be far away when things are like this in beautiful Greenland. I am worried about my family and, of course, about the people of Greenland.”

When asked whether she supports Greenland staying with Denmark, or being bought by the U.S., Ane’s answer is definitive. “Denmark.”

Photo by Art Bicnick

The matter isn’t so straightforward for a 41-year-old Ivalo Nuka Kristiansen, originally from Narsaq in the south of Greenland.

Ivalo came to Iceland through Nordjobb, a programme offering seasonal work to young people in the Nordics, planning to stay just three months. Nineteen years later, she’s still here, now working at Hjá Höllu, a restaurant in the new food hall in Smáralind.

While she agrees she ended up in Iceland mostly by accident — the programme was full everywhere else — perhaps the real reason she decided to stay is simpler. “Hot tubs, I must say hot tubs,” she laughs. “I moved here because I like hot tubs. I could go there every day.”

She has a big family in Greenland, but when asked whether she misses home, Ivalo pauses, “Not really. My father is gone, so I don’t know what I’m missing there. Now I like it here in Iceland.”

“Last time I was there was when my father was dying in 2020, in Covid time. I was there for like three months because they closed the airport. I came in March, and then Greenland shut down all the planes, and I was back there almost till June, so I was there for a long time,” she shares.

Iceland has been the centre of her life for so long Ivalo barely follows what’s happening in Greenland anymore.

“I’ve been trying to call my mother this morning because I don’t know anything about what’s going on in Greenland,” she says. “I don’t usually watch the news, so I’ve been trying to call my mother. She didn’t answer, I think she’s working. I’ve been trying to ask her what’s going on in Greenland because there’s so much going on Facebook. I don’t know what people are talking about, because I don’t follow the news. I don’t have time for that.”

She did see posts on Facebook about Donald Trump floating the idea of buying Greenland.

“And you know what, I like it,” says Ivalo. “I like it a lot. I want Trump to buy it. A lot of Greenlanders hate it, but for me, Trump is a smart guy, and he’s a good businessman. He could do a lot of things to Greenland. I want them to be with Americans, not Denmark. I think it’s a very good idea. I have a very good feeling about that.”

Ivalo explains her support as a chance for Greenland to open up economically. She hopes the country could adopt American-style franchising and bring in more businesses.

“We can be more open to the world. You can always do something, and then we won’t be more isolated, like Denmark made us isolated. We can be very open,” she says.

Having never really considered moving back to Greenland before, Ivalo might be of a different opinion now. “If Trump buys it, I think I will go back. I’m very optimistic about Trump. People hate Trump, but I love Trump. He’s not crazy. He’s just very smart.”

Ivalo’s feelings towards Denmark appear to be rooted in personal experience of discrimination and prejudice. “I’m very loved in Iceland. Everybody I tell I’m from Greenland is very nice to me. When I go to Denmark, if I say I’m from Greenland, they will spit on me. They will fucking hate me,” she says. “They fucking hate us. That’s why I don’t mean to go to Denmark, and I hate Denmark. My cousin was beaten up the other day because he’s Greenlandic.”

At first, 34-year-old Kristína Dahl wasn’t sure she was the right person to speak on the topic. With a Greenlandic mother and an Icelandic father, Kristína lived in Qaqortoq, Greenland, until she was 11, and today considers herself more Icelandic.

“I agree with most Greenlandic people,” she says. “They just want to be left alone and just live in peace.”

Her older brother and his family still live in her hometown. “I really hope that Trump can just move on to something else,” Kristína adds. “He can maybe find a hobby that doesn’t involve Greenland.”