By Arty Sarkisian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News
February 8, 2026
Iqaluit city council unanimously voted Tuesday to raise Greenland’s flag in response to the United States’ threats against “our family.”
“Greenland belongs to Greenland,” said Mayor Solomon Awa, who made the proposal during this week’s regular council meeting.
“We want to show support in these increasingly challenging times.”
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of approximately 56,000 people, the vast majority of whom are Inuit.
Council’s decision comes a week after Greenland’s red and white flag was raised in front of Nunavut’s legislative assembly building, following days of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to gain control of the self-governing territory.
Trump called the island a “piece of ice” the United States needs to own for national security and to prevent Russia or China from controlling it.
Initially, he said the takeover would happen “one way or the other.”
He later backed down, saying he won’t use force to get the island. Then he backed further away, saying a “framework” of a deal had been reached on Greenland, without offering further details.
While that was happening, thousands of people across the world — including approximately 100 Iqalummiut — took to the streets to show solidarity with Greenland.
In an interview after the council meeting, Awa said Greenland is part of one big Inuit family.
“This is our hunting ground. This is where we grew up. And this is where we’re going to be for the generations to come,” he said.
The U.S. threat to take over or purchase Greenland, he added, resembles a Western urge to “build a fence and say, ‘This is my cow now.’”
“Well, there are no cows here. We have caribous,” Awa said. “We’ll never understand each other.”
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The City of Iqaluit will announce the date and location of a flag-raising ceremony later, he said.
