Now an MP, Per Berthelson has become a key figure in the opposition to a US takeover – enraged by the antics of Trump supporter Jorgen Boassen.
A Greenlandic rock god has told how he has come out fighting against the “fake news” of Donald Trump’s “unofficial Arctic envoy” in Greenland. Per Berthelson’s band Sume is revered as “the fathers of rock in Greenland”.
Now an MP he has become a key figure in the opposition to a US takeover – enraged by the antics of Trump supporter Jorgen Boassen, who has been promoting the US message to his fellow islanders. Berthelsen, 75, initially thought it better to say nothing on the US “takeover” crisis, allowing diplomacy to settle the issue.
But he has now decided to come out fighting claiming that former boxer Boassen is spreading “fake news” to their fellow Greenlanders. It was Boassen who arranged Trump Jnr’s visit when to Nuuk last January, along with the late Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September.
Boassen has since featured in international media over claims he made about Greenland being “on the brink of civil war” over Donald Trump’s plans to annexe the mineral rich and strategically crucial island. Berthelsen said: “I was going to keep out of the argument but I feel I have been drawn in,
“And there is one individual, really working closely with the United States, spreading fake news. Boassen is doing a lot of dangerous things, talking about a possibility for civil war in our country and so on.
“He come with a lot of fake news. He’s not a politician. He’s not an elected person.”
Berthelsen, the founder and former party leader of the ruling Demokraatit Party, said Boassen’s conduct could be in breach of Greenlandic law, which forbids any citizen from working to move control of that country away from the state.
The rocker’s band, Sume, formed in 1972, was the first in Greenland to sing in Greenlandic. Their songs were about culture and independence from Denmark.
But Berthelsen has tempered his views these days and believes Greenland should only become independent when it is able to stand strong with its own economy. The animosity between Berthelsen and Boassen flared up when Boassen was accused of shouting aggressively in Berthelsen’s face outside a restaurant.
Berthelsen said: “He came nose to nose with me and started shouting to me. He’s an old boxer and almost 30 years younger than me so I would have no chance.”
He posted his claims on Facebook and claims followers reported it to local police. Since Trump’s vow to take over Greenland – via either a cash purchase or an invasion – Boassen has been his strongest supporter on the island.
He admits even some people in his own family “despise” his campaign for a pro-US stance. He claimed his partner was fired from her role of 30 years with an airline soon after he attended MAGA events to celebrate Trump’s inauguration in Washington.
Boassen claimed a “climate of fear”, was ripping families apart and threatening a civil war. He claims he was punched in a face in a hotel bar because of his views.
Boassen has been photographed with hats stating Make America Great Again and other pro-USA slogans. In a video posted in Youtube the late Charlie Kirk tells of his visit to Nuuk with Donald Trump Jnr on the “Trump Force 1” jet on Jan 7 last year.
It is believed the itinerary and the US propaganda drive was devised by Boassen. Kirk described how they walked to the statue of Hans Egede – the missionary who founded Nuuk in 1728 – before walking to the town, where he met “loads of people wearing MAGA hats”.
Boassen said: “There was a greeting group at the airport of hundreds of people. There are very good reasons for Donald Trump to assume control or purchase or whatever process the president ends up doing to get control of Greenland.”
Boassen has also been photographed with Tom Dans, who leads the United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC). On the dispute with Berthelsen, Boassen denied behaving aggressively and claimed he was the victim.
He said: “He was shouting at me and his wife had to pull him away from me. I was not the aggressor.”
Boassen stands by his support of Donald Trump and the USA despite the rows. He said announcements in the last two days about NATO nations like the UK and Germany collaborating to build a security force in Nuuk were proof that NATO is the real threat to Greenlanders’ freedom.
He said: “People say Donald Trump is the bad guy but is not good that the Danish elite are running our country, that people who fighting for independence blacklisted? I would rather do a deal with Donald Trump than have more European soldiers operating in our country.”
