Red baseball caps spoofing Donald Trump’s Maga hats have become a symbol of Danish and Greenlandic defiance against the US president’s threat to seize the frozen territory.

The caps reading “Make America Go Away” – parodying Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan – have gained popularity, along with several variants on social media and at public protests, including a weekend demonstration held in freezing weather in Copenhagen.

European governments are rallying behind Denmark and Greenland, citing the need to defend Arctic regions and warning that Trump’s threats against Greenland undermine western security.

The hats were created by Copenhagen vintage clothing store owner Jesper Rabe Tonnesen. Early batches flopped in 2024 – until the Trump administration recently escalated its rhetoric over Greenland. Now they are popping up everywhere.

“When a delegation from America went up to Greenland, we started to realise this probably wasn’t a joke – it’s not reality TV, it’s actually reality,” said Tonnesen. “So I said, ‘OK, what can I do?’ Can I communicate in a funny way with a good message and unite the Danes to show that Danish people support the people of Greenland?”

Demand suddenly surged from a trickle to selling out in the space of one weekend. Tonnesen said he has now ordered “several thousand”.

The original version designed by Tonnesen featured a play on words: “Nu det NUUK!” – a twist on the Danish phrase “Nu det nok”, meaning “Now it’s enough,” substituting Nuuk, Greenland’s tiny capital.

Some caps were worn at a rally on Saturday, where protesters waved red-and-white Danish and Greenlandic flags and carried handmade signs mocking US claims over the territory. “No Means No,” read one sign. Another declared, “Make America Smart Again.”

“I want to show my support to Greenland and also show that I don’t like the president of the United States,” said Copenhagen resident Lars Hermansen, who wore one of the red caps.

Another cap-wearing protester, Kristian Boye, said the gathering in front of Copenhagen city hall struck a lighthearted tone while delivering a serious message.

“I’m here to support the Greenlanders, who are going through a very hard time right now,” he said. “They are being threatened with having their country invaded. I think it’s totally unacceptable.”