As U.S. President Donald Trump proposed purchasing Greenland, which is a territory of Denmark, a mocking campaign is underway in Denmark. In response to Trump's claim of wanting to 'buy Greenland,' an online petition movement called 'buy California' is emerging.
According to the British daily Guardian on the 11th (local time), a petition to raise $1 trillion (about 1,454 trillion won) to acquire California, the most populous state in the U.S., is gaining popularity in Denmark. The petition aims to gather 500,000 signatures and has so far attracted over 200,000 participants.
The petition states, 'Have you ever thought while looking at a map that Denmark needs more sunshine, palm trees, and roller skating? We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality,' and suggests, 'Let's buy California from Donald Trump.'
'Unlike Denmark, California enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year. Imagine wearing slippers instead of boots,' it adds, 'To be honest, Trump is not an ardent fan of California. He called California 'the most dysfunctional state in the union' and has had conflicts with California leaders for years. I am confident that he would be willing to part with it (California) at the right price.'
At the top of the petition site is a slogan parodying Trump's campaign slogan 'MAGA' (Make America Great Again) with 'Make Califørnia Great Ægain.' Additionally, it mocks that if California were acquired, Disneyland could be transformed using the Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen: 'Let's change Disneyland to Hans Christian Andersen Land and create a Mickey Mouse wearing a Viking helmet.'
Trump caused controversy by expressing his desire to purchase Greenland on the 22nd of last month, following his first term in 2019, stating, 'I believe the U.S. absolutely needs ownership and control of Greenland for national security and global freedom.' Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark located in the Arctic Ocean. It provides access to the Arctic and is a region competing for resources among nations. Greenland is believed to have significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, and uranium. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed the possibility of Trump buying Greenland last month, stating, 'Greenland is not for sale.'