- Donald Trump has, again, floated the notion that Greenland should be controlled by the United States. Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which is unlikely to just give it away. It is not clear whether Trump is serious. He has trolled the leaders of Canada and Panama with various threats in recent days.
The prime minister of Greenland has unsurprisingly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s statement late last night that the country—a Danish territory—be controlled by the U.S.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “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.”
In an apparent response, the prime minister of Greenland said on Facebook this morning, “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale.” Two members of the Danish parliament that represent Greenland also said the island is not for sale, according to the Sermitsiaq newspaper.
There has not yet been an official response from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. She previously opposed Trump’s overtures for owning Greenland in 2019, and Trump cancelled a visit to Denmark in response.
Greenland is of strategic importance to Denmark, Europe, and the U.S. because of its access to the Arctic and, because of global warming, the increasing ease of shipping around its coast.
Trump has trolled several world leaders recently. He said in early December that Canada should be a U.S. state with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as its governor.
Trump also demanded on Saturday the return of the Panama Canal, which he believes charges excessive fees for U.S. shipping. “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop,” he wrote on Truth Social. Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded, “The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.”
The demand for Greenland came in a statement officially appointing Ken Howery as U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Howery was a cofounder of PayPal and later served as U.S. ambassador to Sweden in the first Trump administration.
Trump’s press team declined comment when contacted by Fortune.
