President-elect Donald Trump is once again showing his interest in the US possession of Greenland, prompting the island territory’s leader to clarify that it is not for sale.
Trump, in announcing on Sunday that he had selected PayPal co-founder Ken Howery to be ambassador to Denmark, wrote that ownership of the American island was an “absolute necessity.”
“For purposes of National Security and Liberty throughout the world, United States of America considers ownership and control of Greenland absolutely necessary. Ken will do a wonderful job representing the interests of the United States,” Trump wrote in a statement.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede rejected the idea outright, publishing a statement on Facebookaccording to the translation, it says: “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and we will never sell it. We must not lose our one-year fight for freedom. However, we must remain open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbors.”
Trump expressed interest in trying to buy Greenland during his first administration.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks at the AmericaFest 2024 conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22, 2024.
Rick Scuteri/AP
Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister of Denmark – which has sovereignty over the autonomous island – dismissed the idea as “nonsense” at the time.
Frederiksen was re-elected in 2022. The Danish prime minister’s office, in a statement to ABC News, said “The Danish government is eager to welcome the new American ambassador. And the government is looking forward to working with the new administration.”
“In today’s complex political security situation, transatlantic cooperation is essential,” the office said. “Regarding the statements about Greenland, the Prime Minister’s Office has no further comment on what the Prime Minister of Greenland has stated about Greenland not being for sale, being open to cooperation.”
The first Trump administration He gave Greenland 12 million dollars for economic development, part of which was to help develop energy and natural resources. The US also opened a consulate in Greenland for the first time in decades during the pre-Trump presidency.
The US also operates Pituffik Space Base, the Department of Defense’s northernmost base, off the coast of Greenland.
Greenland is rich in valuable minerals, including rare earth metals, precious metals, precious stones, coal, graphite and uranium, but its geography and climate make commercially viable mining difficult, according to the US Department of Commerce. International Trade Association. Its rare earth resources would rank among the top five worldwide if developed, ITA reported.
Previous Trump administration officials cited Greenland, the world’s largest island, as a key interest China and Russia increased activity in the Arctic.
Howery, who previously served as U.S. ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first administration, said he was “humbled” by Trump’s appointment as the top U.S. diplomat to Greenland.
“Representing our great nation abroad is a profound responsibility. I know firsthand the power of diplomacy to advance American interests and strengthen alliances, and I appreciate the opportunity to return to Europe to advance the president’s agenda,” Howery said. statement posted on social networks.
Howery’s statement did not address Trump’s suggestion that American ownership of Greenland was an “absolute necessity.”
“I look forward to working with the dedicated teams at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen and the U.S. Consulate Nuuk in Greenland to deepen the ties between our countries,” Howery said.
