A satirical petition proposing that Denmark acquire the US state of California has surpassed 200,000 signatures, in what is interpreted as an ironic response to President Donald Trump's efforts to have the United States buy Greenland. The initiative, hosted on Denmarkification.com, proposes that California be renamed “New Denmark” and that Disneyland be renamed “Hans Christian Andersenland.” The text clarifies that the proposal is “100 percent real… in our dreams.”

In response to Trump's demand to acquire Greenland

The campaign comes at a time of diplomatic tensions following Trump's comments on the strategic importance of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.

The president recently stated that “now is the time” to act, justifying the purchase as a way to counter the influence of Russia and China. These statements drew criticism from European leaders. On Saturday, thousands of Greenlanders marched in Nuuk to protest Washington's threats. Furthermore, Trump warned that he would impose tariffs of 10% starting February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, on countries that oppose US control of Greenland, including Denmark and several European allies.

Humor and satire in the proposal

The petition adopts language that mimics some of Trump's statements, suggesting that Denmark should “play the same game” and needs “more sun, palm trees, and roller skates.” Among the fictional promises are bike lanes in Beverly Hills, Danish hygge in Hollywood, and a Mickey Mouse wearing a Viking helmet. The organizer, Xavier Dutoit, explained that the idea came about after overhearing an American tourist talking about Trump's proposal while on vacation in the Philippines. “The idea was to demonstrate how absurd Trump's claims about Greenland really were,” he noted.

Reactions and going viral

The campaign went viral and attracted comments from public figures. CNN journalist Lisa Ling wrote: “As a Californian, I love this offer.” The California National Party account responded: “On behalf of California, we accept this generous offer from the Danish people."Although Dutoit joked about raising $1 trillion to “buy” California, he stressed that the real purpose is political. “It is absurd for any country, especially a consolidated democracy, to offer or threaten to buy another country or part of its territory,” he said. So far, no officials from Denmark or the United States have commented on the campaign, which continues to gain support as the international debate over Trump's ambitions in Greenland continues.