Olympic hockey fans raise Greenland's flag during USA's dominant win over Denmark, sparking viral reaction

Vice President JD Vance speaks to reporters at Zvartnots International Airport in Armenia Feb. 10, 2026, about U.S. efforts in Greenland.

During Team USA's comeback men's hockey win over Denmark at the Winter Olympics, two fans raised the flag of Greenland in the stands to protest President Donald Trump's intent to acquire Greenland for the U.S. 

The flag was raised enthusiastically after Denmark took an early lead. However, the U.S. came back to win the game 6-3. 

Vita Kalniņa and her husband Alexander Kalniņš, fans of the Latvian hockey team who live in Germany, held up a large Greenland flag during warmups and again when the Danish team scored the opening goal of the preliminary round game against the U.S., which ultimately beat Denmark 6-3.

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The United States' Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark's Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

"We are Europeans, and I think as Europeans we must hold together," Kalniņš told The Associated Press.

"The Greenlandic people decide what will happen with Greenland, but, as it is now, Greenland is a part of the Danish kingdom and, as Greenland is a part of Denmark, as in this case, we support both countries against the U.S."

A Danish fan at the game, Dennis Petersen, said, "It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is — it could be tennis, it could be bobsledding, it can be ice hockey, it could be football — it has nothing to do with politics. … They are athletes, not politicians."

An American fan at the game, Rem de Rohan, said, "I think this is the time for people to kind of put that down and compete