Satirical Petition Calls for Denmark to Buy California \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A humorous online petition suggesting that Denmark buy California has gained over 200,000 signatures, playing off Donald Trump’s past proposal to acquire Greenland. The petition, filled with playful jabs at U.S. politics, imagines renaming Los Angeles to “Løs Ångeles” and turning Disneyland into “Hans Christian Andersenland”. While clearly satire, the petition reflects ongoing debates over U.S. territorial ambitions and California’s political tensions with Trump.
Denmark Buying California? Quick Looks
- Satirical petition suggests Denmark should buy California, gaining over 200,000 signatures.
- The idea mocks Trump’s past attempts to buy Greenland from Denmark.
- Petition proposes renaming Los Angeles to “Løs Ångeles” and turning Disneyland into “Hans Christian Andersenland.”
- Swiss-French activist Xavier Dutoit created the petition after overhearing an American tourist discussing Trump’s Greenland pitch.
- Denmark has a real connection to California—the town of Solvang, known as “the Danish capital of America.”
- Trump previously scrapped a Denmark visit in 2019 after its Prime Minister rejected his Greenland offer as “absurd.”
- Greenland’s Prime Minister recently pushed back against renewed U.S. interest, saying, “We want to be Greenlandic, not American.”
- The petition ends with a disclaimer: “This campaign is 100% real … in our dreams.”
A Satirical Petition Goes Viral: Deep Look
A Lighthearted Response to Trump’s Greenland Ambitions
In a tongue-in-cheek response to Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, an online petition proposing that Denmark buy California has gained over 200,000 signatures.
The petition, written in a playful yet pointed tone, pokes fun at Trump’s history of discussing territorial acquisitions, particularly his 2019 attempt to buy Greenland 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 asks.
“Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality.”
The campaign suggests renaming Los Angeles to “Løs Ångeles” and turning Disneyland into “Hans Christian Andersenland”, complete with Mickey Mouse wearing a Viking helmet.
The Petition’s Origins: A Vacation Joke Turned Viral
The idea for the petition came from Xavier Dutoit, a Swiss-French activist, who said he overheard an American tourist loudly discussing Trump’s Greenland proposal while vacationing in the Philippines.
“That American didn’t seem to grasp how unhinged and absurd it was for any country’s President—especially in a stable democracy—to offer or threaten to take over another sovereign country’s territory,” Dutoit told the Associated Press.
While Dutoit is not Danish, he consulted friends—including Danish activist Kenneth Haar, who lives in Copenhagen—to craft a petition that captured Denmark’s perspective on the Greenland situation while having fun with it.
Haar confirmed that Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland is a serious concern in Denmark, where many view it as a threat to national sovereignty.
“It is considered a very depressing and very dangerous situation,” Haar told the AP in a Zoom interview.
The Danish Connection: A Real-Life “New Denmark” in California
While renaming Los Angeles as “Løs Ångeles” is a joke, California does have a strong Danish connection. The city of Solvang, founded in 1911 by three Danish immigrants, is known as “the Danish capital of America.”
Solvang draws thousands of tourists each year with its:
- Traditional Danish pastries (aebleskiver)
- Scandinavian-style windmills
- Copenhagen Drive, a street honoring Denmark’s capital
- Hans Christian Andersen Museum, celebrating the famous fairy tale author
Even the Danish royal family has visited Solvang over the years, making it a fitting location for a hypothetical “New Denmark” in California.
Trump and Greenland: The Controversy Continues
The petition is also a not-so-subtle commentary on Trump’s continued fixation on Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory with rich natural resources and strategic Arctic positioning.
In 2019, Trump attempted to buy Greenland from Denmark, but Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed the idea as “absurd.” In response, Trump canceled a planned trip to Denmark, calling Frederiksen’s remarks “nasty.”
Before returning to office in January, Trump reignited the debate by saying he would not rule out using military force to seize Greenland, arguing that it is vital to U.S. national security.
His son recently visited the island, raising further speculation about the administration’s intentions toward the Arctic territory.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte B. Egede, however, made Denmark’s position clear:
“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic.”
Would Danes Even Want California?
While the petition is satire, Haar admitted that California’s appeal is undeniable—especially to Denmark, a country known for its cold, gray climate.
“Denmark is a pretty flat country with a pretty boring climate,” Haar joked. “We have none of that sunshine and those beaches.”
If Denmark were to “acquire” California, it would not only gain stunning coastlines and mountain ranges, but also Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and Disneyland—an upgrade from the icy Arctic landscapes of Greenland.
The Petition’s Fine Print: Just a Dream
The petition, which playfully jabs at Trump’s frequent criticism of California, notes that the former president has often derided the state, calling it “Paradise Lost” and referring to Governor Gavin Newsom as “Newscum.”
However, despite the hype surrounding the campaign, the petition ends with an important disclaimer:
“This campaign is 100% real … in our dreams.”
Final Thoughts
The Denmark-California petition is a clever mix of satire and political commentary, highlighting the absurdity of territorial acquisitions in modern geopolitics. While the petition itself is purely for fun, it underscores the ongoing tension between Trump and Denmark over Greenland, as well as California’s long-standing political clashes with the former president.
Whether or not Denmark ever gets its sunny “New Denmark”, one thing is certain—this petition has succeeded in getting people talking, laughing, and questioning the real-world implications of Trump’s territorial ambitions.
Satirical Petition
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