In a recent Politico debate, Democratic Representative from California, Nancy Pelosi, remarked on an intriguing idea: more Americans believe Elvis Presley is still alive than there are Greenland natives who express a desire to join the U.S.
This comment came in the context of discussions around the Trump administration’s interest in acquiring Greenland, a conversation sparked by President Trump’s suggestion in January about potentially controlling both Greenland and the Panama Canal. This comparison arose after Politico’s Jonathan Martin inquired about the possibility of more U.S. military bases being established in Greenland.
“Well, it really depends on the people of Greenland. It’s their land,” Pelosi stated. “I visited Greenland not long ago—before the Vice President went there, I took a delegation. It was, I think, the best delegation ever to go to Greenland,” she added. “We went primarily to discuss the climate crisis.”
Following Trump’s comments, there was a swift Democratic pushback against the idea of Greenland becoming part of the U.S., primarily for resource and national security reasons. Some referred to the proposal as fanciful, yet Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized on SiriusXM that the idea was serious.
“During our visit, we went underground to a research site where scientists were observing the effects of what they termed Arctic melting,” Pelosi elaborated. “They indicated that by 2008, they were already recording significant changes. It was crucial for us to engage with Greenland on issues of climate and security—it could’ve led to positive outcomes. Honestly, I think there are more people in the U.S. who believe Elvis is still alive than Greenlanders wanting to be part of our nation.”
A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll from 2002 found that about eight percent of respondents thought Elvis might still be alive. Trump’s interest in Greenland has catalyzed discussions among various political factions concerned with territorial rights.
In March, Greenland held elections where five out of six parties favored moving toward independence from Denmark. According to reports, the pro-business Democratit Party garnered nearly 30% of the vote, a noticeable increase from 2021. In contrast, the Narerak Party, which pushes for a more immediate break from Denmark, received about 24.5%, though the Democratit Party advocates a more gradual approach to independence.
