Denmark’s Biathlon Siblings From Greenland Speak Out Against Donald Trump At Winter Olympics

Sondre and Ukaleq Slettemark represented Greenland at the Winter Olympics in the men’s and women’s individual biathlon respectively.

Denmark’s Biathlon Siblings From Greenland Speak Out Against Donald Trump At Winter Olympics

Sondre Slettemark, Ukaleq Slettemark; Donald Trump (Images via @ukaleqastri on Instagram/Getty Images)

In Short
  • Greenlandic biathletes Ukaleq and Sondre Slettemark publicly oppose Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland.
  • Ukaleq emphasizes that Greenland will never be American and advocates for the protection of their indigenous land.
  • Sondre urges American citizens to hold their government accountable and express their dissent against Trump's policies.

The Winter Olympics 2026, hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, came amid a period marked by political confusion and rising global tensions. The alarming hostility has bled into the multi-sport event even before the opening ceremony last Friday.

Though the United States’ internal politics have taken center stage, its foreign policy in the last couple of months has also seen some emergence. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, claimed that the country’s constant criticism and denigration had led the crowd at the opening ceremony to boo the American vice president, who was in attendance.

The United States has attempted multiple times in the last century and more to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. As a strategic point in the Arctic, Donald Trump had an eye on the largest island in the world since his first presidency. Though the idea was floated, it was a year ago when the idea was rejuvenated with a proposal of acquisition by any means.

Amid the Winter Olympics, the developments across the year have pushed the two Greenlandic athletes to publicly speak out against Trump, affirming that Greenland will never be American. Ukaleq Astri Slettemark, who competed in the women’s individual in biathlon, stated that there are inherent differences here in Italy as a Greenlandic and a Dane. Ukaleq told DW before her race on Wednesday:

The message I have is that Greenland will never be American. But I’m at the Olympic Games now, and I’m first and foremost an athlete, and I first and foremost need to focus on my competitions here. I think the statement that we send is just that we race for Denmark, we race for Greenland, we show the world stage that we are here.

Ukaleq was joined by her brother, who competed in the men’s individual, finishing 62nd, Sondre Slettemark, in Rasen-Antholz. Sondre had no words for Trump but for the people of the country. Sondre told DW:

I wouldn’t say anything to Trump. Honestly, if I were to say something, I would say something to the American people. And that is that the president is not a dictator yet.

He added that he’s aware of a majority who don’t align with Trump’s way and ideologies. He asked them to call on their senators and congressmen, stating that the business mogul has to answer them at some point. Additionally, Sondre pointed out that they have the right to remove a president who doesn’t represent them from office.

Ukaleq Slettemark doesn’t want Trump mining and exploiting Greenland for minerals

In the last few decades, Greenland and the Arctic region have become a hotbed of a resource race among several global powers. The region reportedly holds vast amounts of petroleum and natural gas, as well as rare earth minerals, which the global powers want their hands on.

Ukaleq Slettemark finished 52nd in the women's individual biathlon with a time of 46:30.4 and just a single miss (Image via @ukaleqastri on Instagram)
Ukaleq Slettemark finished 52nd in the women’s individual biathlon with a time of 46:30.4 and just a single miss (Image via @ukaleqastri on Instagram)

Ukaleq Slettemark addressed that the United States of America’s interest in Greenland is also the access to the emerging resources. The biathlete, who finished 52nd with almost clean shooting, told DW that they don’t want anyone to exploit their lands for these resources. Ukaleq told DW:

Our cultures are so different. In Greenland, we are very much still a people who are a part of nature. We’re indigenous people. We see ourselves as not different from nature. We don’t put money above nature, for example. We don’t like to exploit the ground, to exploit the minerals. And that mindset is so different from what Trump has.

She added that she’s scared that the freedom and their land would be taken away from them. Furthermore, she added that she’s afraid that the untouched areas would be asphalt flats and the mountains, buildings.

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