US President Donald Trump on Thursday again raised the idea of the United States annexing Greenland, saying he believes it will eventually happen.
Speaking alongside Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte Trump suggested that the island’s control could be important for global security.
“I think it will happen,” Trump said when asked about Greenland. “And I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security, not just security, international. We have a lot of our favourite players, you know, cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful. And we’ll be talking to you.”
Although Trump suggested that Nato could help with the acquisition, Rutte quickly distanced the alliance from the idea. “As for Greenland joining the US, I would rather leave that out of this discussion. I don’t want to bring Nato into it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s Demokraatit Party, which supports a gradual approach to independence from Denmark, secured an unexpected victory in parliamentary elections. The party has openly opposed Trump’s efforts to bring Greenland under US control.
The result should send clear message to Trump — Denmark is not for sale, said Demokraatit leader JensFriederik Nielsen. “We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope.”
Trump has relentlessly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark, a suggestion that has met with ridicule and strong rejection from Danish officials.