President-elect Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy by expressing renewed interest in U.S. ownership of Greenland, the autonomous territory currently governed by Denmark. In a statement released Sunday, Trump emphasized what he views as the strategic importance of Greenland, linking its potential ownership to national security.
“For purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump stated. The announcement coincided with his nomination of Ken Howery as ambassador to Denmark, underscoring the administration’s focus on the region.
Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Egede, wasted no time rejecting Trump’s remarks. In a statement to Reuters, Egede firmly declared, “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.” This resolute response echoes sentiments from a similar episode during Trump’s first term as president.
In 2019, Trump floated the idea of purchasing Greenland, calling it a “strategic” acquisition. Speaking to reporters at the time, he said, “Strategically, it’s interesting, and we’d be interested, but we’ll talk to them a little bit. First, we have to find out whether or not they have any interest. They’re losing a tremendous amount of money, so we’ll see what happens.”
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Denmark, however, swiftly dismissed the idea, with then-Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stating unequivocally that Greenland was not for sale. In response, Trump canceled a planned trip to Denmark, announcing via Twitter: “Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time.”
The Greenland controversy resurfaced in 2020 when Miles Taylor, who served as chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first term, shared details of a particularly striking conversation. Taylor told MSNBC that in 2018, Trump had floated the idea of swapping Greenland for Puerto Rico, reportedly describing Puerto Rico as “dirty” and its people as “poor.” The remarks came ahead of DHS officials traveling to Puerto Rico to assist with recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.
Greenland’s strategic importance stems from its location in the Arctic and its vast natural resources. However, the notion of purchasing the territory has been widely criticized as unrealistic and out of touch with modern geopolitics. Trump’s comments have reignited debates about U.S. territorial ambitions and the administration’s approach to diplomacy.
While Trump remains steadfast in his belief about Greenland’s value to the U.S., the strong rebuke from Greenland’s leadership highlights the cultural and political complexities of such a proposal. For now, it seems that the idea of U.S. ownership of Greenland will remain a controversial chapter in Trump’s political narrative.
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