Satirical Petition Urges Denmark to Buy California in Response to Trump's Greenland Interest
A satirical online petition, inspired by Trump’s earlier interest in Greenland, calls for Denmark to buy California, collecting over 200,000 signatures. Creator Xavier Dutoit aims to highlight the absurdity of Trump's claims, humorously promoting the idea of "denmarkifying" California with cultural integrations and social policies, while speculating Trump's potential interest in the sale.
hassan benyoub 
In a tongue-in-cheek response to former U.S. President Donald Trump's past interest in acquiring Greenland, a satirical online petition has gained traction, calling for Denmark to purchase the state of California. The petition, which had amassed over 200,000 signatures by Wednesday, highlights the absurdity of Trump's previous pursuits of the autonomous Danish territory.
Mimicking Trump's famous slogan, "Make America Great Again," the petition urges supporters to "Måke Califørnia Great Ægain" (a Danish twist on the phrase). The website associated with the campaign, denmarkification.com, jokingly proposes "buying California from Trump through the most grandiose participatory campaign ever."
Xavier Dutoit, the Swiss-French creator of the project, told AFP that the concept originated "simply to demonstrate how absurd Trump's claims about Greenland really were."
California: A Prime Target for "Denmarkification"?
The website humorously justifies the selection of California, citing its favorable climate, thriving technology sector, and the popularity of avocado toast. It also playfully suggests renaming Disneyland "Hans Christian Andersenland," in honor of the renowned Danish storyteller, and envisions "Mickey Mouse wearing a Viking helmet." The site further satirizes the potential benefits of integrating California into Denmark, such as implementing "the rule of law, universal health insurance, and fact-based policies."
Will Trump Bite?
The denmarkification.com website speculates that "Trump might sell" California, adding: "Let's be honest, Trump isn't exactly California's biggest fan… As for the will of the citizens? Well, let's be realistic – when has he ever stopped at that before?"
As of 3:30 PM (2:30 PM GMT) on Wednesday, the petition had garnered 216,000 signatures, with a target of reaching half a million. Dutoit stated: "My offer to President Trump is: let him stop this new colonial madness and I will end the campaign."
Global Interest
The website has attracted visitors primarily from the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands in the past 24 hours.
Background: Trump and Greenland
It is worth noting that Trump repeatedly expressed his desire to acquire Greenland starting in late December, but Greenlandic leaders, with the backing of the Danish government, have consistently maintained that the island is not for sale.
Greenlandic Elections Loom
Greenland is scheduled to hold local elections on March 11. The Greenlandic Parliament, expressing concerns about potential foreign interference, passed a law on Tuesday, February 4, prohibiting anonymous or foreign donations to political parties.
