What is the story about?
A viral video from Greenland has sparked intense reactions across social media, with responses ranging from amusement to outrage. Shot in a snowy landscape,
the short clip shows Greenlanders mimicking the unsteady, frozen postures often seen in viral videos of fentanyl users on American streets, a stance they label the ''fenty pose,'' while bluntly branding it “American culture.” As the video spread, one caption appeared repeatedly alongside reposts: “Bringing American culture to Greenland.” The clip quickly went viral, with many viewers describing it as brutal, offensive and, in the eyes of some, disturbingly on point.
The timing of the satire has only intensified its impact. The video surfaced amid renewed remarks by US President Donald Trump about Greenland’s strategic importance to the United States. Trump has reiterated that the US “must have” Greenland for national security reasons and has refused to rule out the use of military force, comments that have been firmly rejected by Greenland’s leadership and Denmark, which governs the island as a semi-autonomous territory, according to the BBC.
As tensions escalated, the dispute spilled into a wider diplomatic confrontation, with Trump threatening trade tariffs against European allies opposing his stance. Against this backdrop, many online interpreted the viral clip as a pointed political response, ''using America’s opioid crisis as a tool of satire and defiance.''
Internet Divided
Social media reactions were sharply divided. One user celebrated the jab, writing, “Hehehe that’s the Goated Answer to Trump.”
Another commented, “They nailed it, just need more people, MUCH MORE.” A third response framed it as political resistance: “This is what happens when you try to ‘buy’ a country like it’s a piece of real estate. They are hitting back where it hurts. It’s dark, it’s brutal, but it’s their way of saying ‘We are NOT for sale’.”
Others leaned into the shock factor, with one remarking, “I found it really offensive.” And many others found the video disturbing.
Why Trump Wants Greenland
Greenland is the world’s largest island, spanning roughly 2.2 million square kilometres, about six times the size of Germany, yet it is home to only around 56,000 people, most of whom are Indigenous Inuit, according to the BBC. Nearly 80% of the island is covered in ice, with the majority of residents living along the south-western coast near the capital, Nuuk.
Its location between North America and the Arctic gives Greenland major strategic value, particularly for missile early-warning systems and monitoring maritime routes. The US has maintained a military presence at Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) since World War II, a site that continues to play a role in missile detection. Growing interest in Greenland is also driven by its untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium, iron, and potential oil and gas reserves.
The “Fentanyl Crisis”
Though framed as satire, the video draws on a grim reality. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. As little as 2 milligrams, roughly the size of a few grains of sand, can be lethal.
According to US government data cited by the Department of Homeland Security, synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, accounted for about 60% of all overdose deaths last year, claiming roughly 48,000 lives. Between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, federal agencies seized or helped seize approximately 130,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl, 327,000 pounds of precursor chemicals, and 9,900 pieces of fentanyl-manufacturing equipment.
