Icelandic music icon Björk has issued a powerful plea for Greenland to declare its independence from Denmark, as former US President Donald Trump renews threats to annex the resource-rich Arctic island.
An Impassioned Plea on Social Media
In a heartfelt Instagram post shared on Monday 5 January 2026, the singer urged the territory's residents to follow Iceland's example and break free from the Kingdom of Denmark. Her call to action comes amid heightened fears that Donald Trump could order a US military invasion of Greenland following the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
These concerns were amplified by an interview published in The Atlantic magazine on Sunday, where Trump stated, "We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense." Björk expressed her horror at the prospect, writing: "Colonialism has repeatedly given me horror chills up my back, and the chance that my fellow Greenlanders might go from one cruel colonizer to another is too brutal to even imagine."
A History of Colonial Control and Recent Abuses
Greenland, home to around 57,000 people, was a Danish colony until 1953. It is now a self-governing territory that still depends on Copenhagen for half its public budget, with Denmark controlling its foreign affairs and defence. However, the island retains the right to hold a referendum on full independence.
Björk's post condemned Denmark's historical and ongoing treatment of Greenlanders. She referenced the 2025 lawsuit by 143 women who accused the Danish government of forcibly fitting them with intrauterine devices (IUDs) without consent in a campaign to limit population growth between the 1960s and 1990s. An official inquiry found approximately 4,500 Indigenous Greenlandic women were affected, leading to a Danish apology and a reconciliation fund.
The singer also highlighted the now-banned parental competency tests, which for decades were accused of bias against Greenlandic families, leading to Inuit children being removed and placed with Danish foster families. "Till today the Danish are treating Greenlanders like they are second class humans," Björk wrote.
Political Rejection and a Musical History of Support
Responding to the geopolitical tensions, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated on Monday that both Greenland and Denmark have rejected Trump's interest. She told broadcaster DR: "I have made it very clear where the Kingdom of Denmark stands, and Greenland has repeatedly said that it does not want to be part of the United States." The White House did not immediately comment.
This is not Björk's first intervention. She has a track titled "Declare Independence" dedicated to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. In her post, she expressed gratitude for Iceland's own 1944 separation from Denmark, noting it preserved the Icelandic language. She concluded with a direct appeal: "Dear Greenlanders, declare independence !!!! Sympathetic wishes from your neighbours. Warmthness."
