Ukaleq Slettemark, a 25-year-old biathlete from Greenland, is experiencing heightened stress amid her efforts to qualify for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The source of her anxiety stems from repeated statements by U.S. President Donald Trump expressing a desire to acquire her country.
Expressing her concerns to The Associated Press from Ruhpolding, Germany, where she is currently competing in the biathlon World Cup alongside her brother, Sondre, Slettemark shared, “It’s a frightening situation. We are envisioning worst-case scenarios, and my aunt is struggling to sleep at night. Just yesterday, my mom broke down in tears at the stadium due to her overwhelming fear.”
Although the Slettemark siblings currently represent Greenland in the World Cup, they would compete for Denmark in the Olympics if they secure qualification next week. This shift is necessary because Greenland lacks its own independent national Olympic committee.
Emphasizing her identity as an athlete rather than a political figure, Slettemark highlighted the incessant threats from the U.S. that are disrupting her focus on training and competitions. She expressed the challenges of balancing her athletic pursuits with concerns about the situation unfolding in her homeland.
“There are discussions about the possibility of relocating from Greenland due to safety concerns, which has left us terrified and angered by the disrespectful and alarming rhetoric,” she stated.
President Trump reiterated his intentions to acquire Greenland, citing national security reasons in a recent social media post. This statement preceded a meeting between Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Greenlandic representative Vivian Motzfeldt.
Greenland’s Status as a Danish Territory
Greenland operates as a semiautonomous territory under Denmark’s jurisdiction, maintaining its status as a NATO ally.
Slettemark, who previously competed for Denmark in the 2022 Winter Olympics, was born in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Both her parents have profound ties to biathlon: her father, ├ ÿystein Slettemark, participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in biathlon, while her mother, Uiloq, established the Greenland Biathlon Federation, which combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting.
The ongoing U.S. threats have cast a shadow over Slettemark’s daily interactions, with fellow athletes expressing concern for her well-being. Despite the challenging circumstances, she maintains positive relationships with members of the U.S. team.
“I share close friendships with U.S. athletes, finding them all to be genuinely kind individuals,” she affirmed.
Slettemark voiced her hope that American citizens will advocate for halting the Greenland acquisition plan, drawing parallels between the situation and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
Reflecting on the potential consequences, she mentioned overhearing discussions within the biathlon community suggesting that the U.S. should face Olympic bans similar to Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine if it were to forcibly take control of Greenland.
“While such thoughts have crossed my mind, we have not reached that stage yet, as no actions have been taken. However, if such a scenario were to unfold, I would support the imposition of consequences,” she concluded.