A Danish-American sibling pair living in Denmark is struggling with their dual identity as Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to claim Greenland create tension between their two nationalities. The children, who have close family ties in both countries, express concern about their American heritage and worry about potential impacts on their relatives.
Growing Up Between Two Nations
Samuel and Mira Kinch are 10 and 12 years old, living in Denmark with their Danish father and American mother. Like thousands of other children with American ties in Denmark, they navigate life between two cultures. However, recent political developments have made that balancing act increasingly difficult.
The siblings are among a growing population of Danish-American families. In 2017, over 8,500 American immigrants lived in Denmark, a 40 percent increase from a decade earlier. These immigrants had 736 children that year, bringing the total population including descendants to around 9,300. Many of these families, like the Kinches, maintain strong connections to both countries through education, employment, and family relationships.
Trump’s Greenland Claims Hit Home
For Samuel and Mira, the recent flood of news about the United States has been particularly challenging. Stories about ICE agents, Iran relations, and especially Donald Trump’s persistent efforts to acquire Greenland dominate media coverage. These headlines hit differently when you share citizenship with the country making international waves.
Mira, the older sister, admitted she no longer feels proud to identify as American given current circumstances. The situation has become so uncomfortable that she now defaults to calling herself Danish when asked about her nationality, even though she considers herself American.
The Personal Cost of Political Tensions
The most difficult aspect for both children is hearing others criticize the United States. When people discuss American actions negatively, Samuel feels personally implicated. As he explained, when others say the USA is doing something wrong, it feels like they are saying he is doing it.
This personal connection extends beyond abstract national identity. The children have close family in America, including their grandmother, uncle, and cousin. Despite the physical distance, they maintain strong relationships with these relatives. Mira worries constantly about what might happen to them.
Fears About Family Separation
Beyond general political concerns, Mira has specific anxieties about potential policies that could affect her ability to see her American family. She fears that new regulations could prevent her relatives from leaving the country or make it impossible for the family to reunite. These are not abstract political worries but genuine concerns about losing contact with people she loves.
The tension between Danish and American identities reflects broader challenges faced by children growing up in binational families. Denmark’s strong welfare model typically provides excellent outcomes for children, including those from immigrant backgrounds. Danish children from low-income families face only an 8 percent higher poverty risk compared to their wealthier peers, significantly better than the 43 percent risk in the United States.
A Generation Caught in the Middle
The experience of Danish-American children like Samuel and Mira represents a unique subset of Denmark’s diverse population. While much attention focuses on non-Western immigrant descendants, children with American heritage face their own distinct challenges. They grow up in a country known for high social mobility and strong child outcomes while maintaining ties to a nation increasingly at odds with Danish values and interests.
American connections to Denmark have grown substantially over recent years. Tourism from the United States nearly doubled between 2007 and 2016, with overnight stays increasing from 358,000 to 632,000. This reflects deepening cultural and economic ties that make political tensions all the more uncomfortable for families living between both worlds.
Hoping for Calmer Times
Despite their current discomfort, Samuel and Mira remain hopeful that circumstances will improve. They wish for a future where tensions ease and American political leaders stop pursuing controversial policies regarding Greenland and Denmark. Their simple desire is for their two countries to coexist peacefully, allowing them to embrace both parts of their heritage without conflict.
At the same time, their situation highlights a broader reality for children of immigrants in Denmark. In 2024, over 17 percent of births in Denmark were to immigrant mothers, with thousands more to descendants maintaining connections to other nations. For many of these children, international politics is not an abstract concept but something that directly affects their sense of identity and family security.
The Kinch siblings represent a generation growing up in an increasingly interconnected yet politically fraught world. Their experience shows how diplomatic tensions and political rhetoric can trickle down to affect even the youngest citizens, forcing children to grapple with complex questions of identity and belonging that previous generations may not have faced as intensely.
As Denmark continues to see growth in its American immigrant population and strengthening ties through tourism and cultural exchange, families like the Kinches will likely remain caught between their love for both countries and the political realities that sometimes put those nations at odds. For now, Samuel and Mira can only hope that calmer days lie ahead.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Why Was Greenland Granted Autonomy from Denmark?
The Danish Dream: Best Immigration Lawyers in Denmark for Foreigners
DR: Samuel og Mira er dansk-amerikanske børn: ‘Jeg er ikke stolt af at være amerikaner lige nu’
