President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday would not rule out using military or economic coercion to achieve his goal of bringing Greenland and Panama Canal under American control, since his son, Donald Trump Jr., is in Greenland amid Trump’s efforts to acquire the autonomous territory from Denmark.
“I can’t assure you that you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump told reporters at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “No, I can’t assure you about either one. But I can say this: we need it for our economic security.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected Trump’s Greenland plans, but said she would continue to welcome American interest and investment, in light of Trump Jr.’s visit.
“I certainly hope that Trump Jr. will have the opportunity to see Greenland and visit this beautiful country,” Frederiksen said in a television interview Tuesday. “But it’s also important to keep in mind that Greenland’s future is defined by Greenlanders, not the rest of us.”
“It is their country that we are talking about here, and it is Greenland that, in my eyes, can determine and define the future of Greenland,” she said. Frederiksen still views the United States as a valuable ally as Moscow and Beijing strengthen cooperation.
“I would much rather have American investments and interests than want Russians or Chinese,” she said. “On the other hand, I would like to encourage everyone to respect the fact that the Greenlanders are a people, they are a population,” Frederiksen said. “It’s their country that’s at stake here.”
Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland on Tuesday aboard his father’s “Trump Force One” plane, weeks after arriving in Greenland. the father again expressed the desire for the United States to take control of the Danish autonomous territory. The visit comes just a day after Trump suggested residents of the vast region were “MAGA” in a social media post.
“Just here as tourists,” Trump Jr. told reporters as he headed to the airport in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Tuesday. “We’ve been talking about going there for a while. I was actually supposed to be here last spring for some of the things I do in my free time, but I’m really excited to be here. Awesome country.
He was quickly asked about his father, who said he wanted to incorporate Greenland into the United States, but he responded simply by saying that the soon-to-be second-term president “says hello to him.”
“We talked to him yesterday, so he says hello to everyone in Greenland,” Trump Jr. said.
Greenland has a population of approximately 57,000 and is a fully autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. It has oil, gas and mineral resources, but its economy depends on subsidies from Denmark and fishing.
Still, Trump on Tuesday expressed doubts about Denmark’s control over Greenland, despite Greenland’s status as a self-governing territory.
“No one even knows if they have any right or title or interest,” Trump said, inaccurately, of Denmark and Greenland.
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“Donald Trump Jr.’s visit is a private visit and is respected by Naalakkersuisut, the government of Greenland. Therefore, there will be no reactions to the visit either,” Mininnguaq Kleist, permanent secretary of Greenland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CBS News before his arrival on Tuesday. “Our country is open for tours and visitors are welcome to our beautiful country. »
Reuters, citing a source familiar with the trip, said Trump Jr. planned to film content for a podcast and would only come for one day.
On Monday, President-elect Trump said in a post on social media that he was, “hearing that the people of Greenland are “MAGA”. My son, Don Jr, and various representatives will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sites. Greenland is an incredible place, and people will benefit enormously if and when it becomes part of our nation. We will protect and cherish it from a very vicious outside world. LET’S MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN! »
Trump had expressed interest in purchasing Greenland during his first term, although the idea was quickly rejected by the Danish authorities.
Two weeks ago, Trump said on social media that “for reasons of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America believes that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” .
Greenland’s government has twice rejected Trump’s declarations of interest in the territory, along with Prime Minister Mute Egede. saying just before Christmas that “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and never will be.
Last week, Egede gave a New Year’s speech urging Greenland to remove “the chains of colonialism” and gain full independence from Denmark.
“It is time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, especially with regard to who we will cooperate closely with and who will be our business partners,” Egede said.
A Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, Aaja Chemnitz, said Trump’s interest should be set aside, Reuters reported.
“I don’t want to be a pawn in Trump’s ardent dreams of expanding his empire to include our country,” Chemnitz said.