Trump Still Believes US Will Get Greenland
President Donald Trump has said he believes the US will gain control of Greenland, after showing renewed interest in acquiring the autonomous Danish territory in recent weeks.
“I think the people want to be with us,” Trump said when asked about the island in the press room on board the presidential plane.
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world,” he added.
“I think Greenland we’ll get because it has to do with freedom of the world,” Trump continued.
His comments come after reports that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen insisted Greenland was not for sale in a fiery phone call with the president last week.
Trump floated the prospect of buying the vast Arctic territory during his first term in 2019, and has said US control of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for international security.
Greenland lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it strategically important for the US. It is also home to a large American space facility.
In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland’s natural resources, including mining for rare earth minerals, uranium and iron.
Though the island has wide-ranging autonomy, it remains part of the kingdom of Demark.
But there is a general consensus in Greenland that it will eventually become independent, which could pave the way for a new kind of relationship with the US.
