Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A petition calling for Denmark to buy California from the United States has gained traction, serving as a satirical and humorous rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland.
The petition, titled “Måke Califørnia Great Ægain” (“Make California Great Again”), has drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures. By Friday, February 14, more than 250,000 people had signed the petition on the website denmarkification.com.
As part of the tongue-in-cheek initiative, the petition aims to gather 500,000 signatures and raise $1 trillion to “negotiate” the purchase of California.
“Have you ever looked at a map and thought, “You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates.” Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality,” the petition states.
The Proposal: Buying California from Trump
The petition calling for Denmark to buy California emerged in response to Trump’s ambitions with Greenland, where he had suggested that the U.S. should acquire the Arctic island, even hinting at a forced takeover.
“Let’s buy California from Donald Trump! Yes, you read that right. California could be ours, and we need your help to make it happen,” the petition boldly proclaims.
The website also humorously imagines what California might look like under Danish rule, incorporating Nordic-style welfare policies. It proposes renaming Disneyland to “Hans Christian Andersenland” and highlights the benefit of endless avocado toast, given that nearly 90% of U.S. avocados are grown in California.
Other ideas include bringing Denmark’s famed “hygge” (a concept of coziness) to Hollywood, installing bike lanes in Beverly Hills, and introducing organic Scandinavian rye bread across the state.
Could This Actually Happen?
While the petition is clearly satire, as stated on the website “100% real… in our dreams”, it humorously suggests that Trump, known for his real estate ventures, might be open to selling California.
The website notes that Trump wasn’t very fond of California. Trump has repeatedly criticized the states, calling it “Paradise Lost” and clashing with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, whom he mockingly referred to as “Newscum.”
“Honestly, Trump isn’t a big fan of California,” the site reads. “He calls it ‘the most ruined state in the U.S.’ and frequently fights with its leaders. We’re pretty sure he’d let it go for the right price.”
The site even includes a mock fundraising goal of $1 trillion as negotiable. “And hey, we’ll even throw in a lifetime supply of Danish pastries to sweeten the deal,” the petitions added.
Trump’s Greenland Ambitions
Trump repeatedly floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, the world’s largest island, which lies between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and is technically part of North America.
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Denmark has controlled Greenland since the 14th century, though the island gained self-rule in 1979. Copenhagen firmly rejected Trump’s overtures, insisting Greenland was not for sale.
Denmark’s parliament even passed a bill preventing political parties from accepting foreign or anonymous donations. The legislation, according to officials, was introduced due to “geopolitical interests in Greenland and the current situation where representatives from major allied powers have expressed interest in taking over and controlling Greenland.”
Although Greenland has an active independence movement, the majority of the island’s 56,000 residents appear to agree that their homeland should remain off the market. “Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people. We don’t want to be Danish, and we don’t want to be American,” Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte B. Egede said last month.
While the petition to buy California is clearly a satirical response to Trump’s Greenland ambitions, it highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions and cultural divides between the U.S. and Denmark. As humorous as the idea may be, it also serves as a reminder of the deep-rooted complexities surrounding territorial sovereignty, national identity, and the power dynamics between nations.
(Raidi/Agung)
