Thousands of Danes sign petition to buy California from U.S.

 Travis Schlepp in KTLA5 Morning News (thanks to Bob P.)

In response to President Donald Trump’s continued musing about the U.S. acquiring Greenland from Denmark, Danish citizens have launched their own effort to purchase America’s most economically prosperous state.

An online petition seeking the “Denmarkification” of California has seemingly garnered nearly 200,000 signatures, with a pitch to Danish citizens that purchasing the Golden State would provide them with more sunshine, dominance in the tech industry, limitless avocado toast and easy access to Disneyland — which organizers say would be renamed to honor fairytale author and poet Hans Christian Andersen.

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

Danes who sign the petition are encouraged to chip in for the fundraising goal of $1 trillion (give or take), which organizers say would cost every citizen of the Scandinavian nation approximately 200,000 DKK — or roughly $28,000.

Executives from LEGO and the cast of Danish political drama “Borgen” would negotiate the deal on behalf of the Scandinavian nation, and organizers said they would throw in a lifetime supply of Danish pastries to sweeten the deal. Greenland’s leader says his people don’t want to be Americans

The petition is a tongue-in-cheek rebuttal to Trump’s fixation on acquiring Greenland, a Danish territory, which he says is critical to America’s national security interests. Republican legislators have also highlighted Greenland’s access to natural resources like oil, gas and minerals as reasons the U.S. should prioritize acquiring the territory.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trump’s desire to obtain Greenland “absurd,” which led to the president cancelling a trip to visit Copenhagen during his first presidency. Greenland’s own leader, Múte Egede, echoed the statement, saying it is not for sale. (continued)