Danes offer to buy California
A crowdfunding group in Denmark has proposed that their country acquire the US state of California for $1 trillion and a lifetime supply of Danish pastries. The satirical idea of purchasing the territory comes after US President Donald Trump reiterated his interest in buying Greenland.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of acquiring Greenland – an autonomous territory of Denmark – citing the island’s significant strategic and economic value for the US. Both Danish and Greenlandic officials have vehemently rejected the idea. Trump, however, has suggested that he would be prepared to use military and economic force to obtain the territory. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stressed last month that purchasing Greenland is a serious goal and “not a joke.”
In response to Trump’s continued interest in the island, the ‘Denmarkification’ group has outlined its own proposal to the US president, offering to take California off his hands and throw in a lifetime supply of Danish pastries to “sweeten the deal.” The group pointed out that Trump has already described the state as “the most ruined” in the US.
The proposal is presented as a crowdfunded effort, with the group estimating that each Danish citizen would only need to “skip a few lattes” and contribute approximately 200,000 kroner ($27,675). The group humorously suggested that the acquisition would bring Danish cultural values, including “hygge” (comfort), bike lanes and Smorrebrod sandwiches to California. The group also said it plans to rename Disneyland to Hans Christian Andersenland, writing “Mickey Mouse in a Viking helmet? Yes please.”
Speaking to Politico’s Playbook over the weekend, the group’s founder, Xavier Dutoit, has also suggested that LEGO executives should lead the talks with the US about acquiring the state because “dealing with children throwing tantrums over missing bricks has made them experts in negotiation.”
Trump’s idea to purchase Greenland has been met with significant pushback, including from Greenlanders themselves, only 6% of whom have expressed a desire to join the US, according to a recent Danish opinion poll. Another survey has also found that nearly half of Danes see the US as a threat to the country, with more than 70% opposing any sale of Greenland.
