‘Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’: Danes petition to buy California as Trump seeks Greenland

A lighthearted Danish petition to buy the state of California and “bring hygge to Hollywood” has been launched in response to President Donald Trump’s talk about taking control of Greenland, a vast and mineral-rich Arctic island, from Denmark.

“Have you ever looked at a map and thought, ‘You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates,’” the petition stated. “Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality.”

The petition’s website claimed more than 200,000 signatures on Wednesday, with a goal of 500,000 signers, as well as “US$1 trillion (give or take a few billion). That’s just 200,000 kroner (US$27,800) from every Dane.” It’s not clear how long the petition has been running, and a representative did not immediately return a request for comment.

“It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation, so California will become New Denmark. Los Angeles? More like Løs Ångeles,” the petition stated.

While Løs Ångeles is a joke, another very Danish city in Southern California is real. Known as “the Danish capital of America,” Solvang was founded by three immigrants from Denmark in 1911.

The city is popular with tourists, who come in droves for its aebleskiver pastries, Scandinavian windmills, a main street called “Copenhagen Drive” and, of course, a Hans Christian Andersen Museum to honour the famous Danish fairy tale author. Danish royals have visited several times over the decades.

  

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