Some of President Trump’s loyal supporters say they’re confused and dismayed by the president’s aggressive posture toward Denmark and America’s European allies.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Europeans, as we’ve been reporting, are outraged about President Trump’s claim that Greenland should be under United States control. But what do Trump supporters in the United States think about his threat of tariffs and refusal to rule out military action? All politics is local. NPR’s Brian Mann has been talking with conservative and MAGA voters about this. Brian, good morning.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Good morning, Steve.
INSKEEP: What are you hearing?
MANN: I’m hearing confusion and wariness and even some real anger over this focus by Trump on Greenland. I traveled over the last couple of days to talk to voters in some of the most conservative counties in the U.S. I was in rural Maryland, upstate New York and Pennsylvania. All of these folks voted for Trump and still broadly support his presidency, but this policy leaves many of them cold. Here’s George Rivet (ph) and Frank Juket (ph), two retired service members both in their 60s. We spoke outside the American Legion hall in Whitehall, New York.
GEORGE RIVET: I wish he wouldn’t step on anybody’s toes about Greenland. I was in the Marines. I know we got enough stuff to take care of our country. Why do you want to keep – kind of like what Putin did with Ukraine, you know?
FRANK JUKET: And as far as Denmark goes, no.
MANN: If a week from now, two weeks from now, we have Marines and Navy folks on the ground in Greenland, are you going to be upset?
JUKET: Yes. They don’t want us. There’s no reason why we should want them.
MANN: And, Steve, that comparison of Trump to Vladimir Putin really caught my ear coming from a Trump voter. Both of these men told me they’ve heard Trump’s argument, why Greenland is essential for U.S. security. They don’t buy it. Both said they view Denmark as an ally.
INSKEEP: Although, I’m thinking there are a lot of times that Trump supporters have disagreed with him about something but then they end up supporting Trump anyway.
MANN: Yeah.
INSKEEP: Do they see the proposed takeover of Greenland as somehow different than other controversies?
MANN: I think that’s right. And to be clear, this wasn’t a scientific survey. It wasn’t methodical. I’ve been on this road trip, sitting and talking to Trump voters in these conservative counties, asking broadly how they see his first year in office. A lot of these folks back him. They like him personally. But, Steve, Greenland kept coming up, even when I didn’t mention it. Here’s Gabby Coots (ph), who lives in Cecil County, one of the reddest counties in Maryland.
GABBY COOTS: I think he’s doing good. The only thing I don’t agree with is that Greenland acquiring. I don’t agree with that.
MANN: Tell me why.
COOTS: Because it’s not his. That’s Denmark. They independent, they don’t want it, so why force it?
MANN: And I heard this again from Tina Howe (ph), who talked to me in a diner where she works in Pike County, Pennsylvania. This is a place so conservative, some locals call it Trump County, Pennsylvania.
TINA HOWE: I’m not real fond of what’s going on with him getting us involved in too many countries. He needs to start worrying about America first, which he campaigned on.
MANN: And Howe told me she just doesn’t understand how taking over Greenland is going to make her life or her neighbors’ lives better.
INSKEEP: Well, as you went from one conservative county to another, did you hear any support for the U.S. forcing Denmark to give up Greenland?
MANN: No, none. I did hear skepticism that Trump would actually launch any kind of military action. Some of his supporters told me they see Trump’s fierce language toward Denmark and America’s European allies as part of his intense negotiating style. But even there, Steve, most of his voters told me they want him focused on pocketbook issues, on affordability. Some said gas prices have come down but their grocery and energy bills are still sky high. They told me that’s what they want Trump working on, not Greenland.
INSKEEP: Brian, thanks very much for the insights. Really appreciate it.
MANN: Thank you, Steve.
INSKEEP: That’s NPR’s Brian Mann.
(SOUNDBITE OF BRANT BJORK’S “WAITING FOR A COCONUT TO DROP”)
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