Politis

Ioanna Mavrokefalidou: A Greek Woman in Greenland - Trump Manages to Stress the Most Zen Inhabitants of the Planet

Published January 18, 2026, 17:22
Ioanna Mavrokefalidou: A Greek Woman in Greenland - Trump Manages to Stress the Most Zen Inhabitants of the Planet

Ioanna Mavrokefalidou, a Greek social worker who lived in Greenland from 2019 to 2022, conveys the growing concern of the inhabitants regarding the interest shown by former US President Donald Trump in purchasing the island. Initially, Trump's statements in 2019 were considered a joke, but his recent repetition of them, combined with his operations in the US, has caused fear and outrage among the Greenlandic people. The residents of Greenland are worried about the loss of their identity, language and culture, as well as the possibility of the US exploiting the country's natural resources. Ms. Mavrokefalidou reports that Greenlanders fear a repetition of the history of the Native Americans in the US, where their land and culture were destroyed. Demonstrations and marches have taken place not only in Greenland but also in Denmark and Germany, expressing the opposition of the Greenlandic people to possible integration into the United States. Greenlanders feel that Trump is only interested in Greenland's natural resources, such as oil and uranium, as well as its geopolitical importance due to the melting of the ice and access to new sea routes. Ms. Mavrokefalidou emphasizes that the reaction of the Greenlandic people is not merely political, but deeply connected to their identity and their desire to preserve their unique way of life. The situation remains uncertain, but the concern and fear of the inhabitants are now intense and justified.