Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
More than 2,000 U.S. adults have been asked to weigh in on the idea of using military force or purchasing the island.
After capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro over the past weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that the U.S. “needs Greenland from the standpoint of national security.”
The suggestion is not new, as Trump voiced his desire to get Greenland under U.S. control during his first term as president.
Things really took a turn when White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller said during an interview with CNN that Greenland should “obviously” be part of the U.S., questioning Denmark’s claim to the world’s largest island.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that the White House said in a statement that utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal, and that the administration is discussing a range of options regarding Greenland.
But what does the U.S. public think about the whole ordeal? Well, three new surveys have given us some insight.
Massive opposition to military action
According to a new survey of 2,223 U.S. adults conducted by YouGov, nearly three out of four (73%) participants said they oppose using military force to acquire Greenland.
Breaking down the numbers by political orientation, there is a clear difference of opinion, with 87% of Democrats opposing the idea, 73% of Independents, and 60% of Republicans.
However, there is still an overwhelming majority opposing military action among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
More support for purchase
When asked about the option of purchasing Greenland, the gap closes.
Twenty-eight percent support the idea, with 45% opposing it. Twenty-seven percent say they are not sure where they stand.
Breaking it down by political orientation, there is a 51% majority among Republicans in favor of purchasing the world’s largest island. Twenty-one percent of Independents support the idea, while only 10% of Democrats support it.
The question of national security
One of the Trump administration’s arguments for bringing Greenland under U.S. control is national security.
Yesterday, the BBC reported that the White House told the broadcaster that acquiring Greenland was a “national security priority.”
But the American public is split on whether Greenland really is that important for U.S. national security, the YouGov survey shows.
Thirty-eight percent say Greenland is “very” or “somewhat” important to national security, while 34% say the island is “not very” or “not at all” important.
Twenty-eight percent are undecided on the matter.
Sources: YouGov, Reuters, BBC, CNN
