On Sunday, the prime minister of Greenland strongly dismissed remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump concerning America’s possible acquisition of the island territory. Greenland, an expansive and resource-abundant island in the Atlantic, is self-governed but remains under the Kingdom of Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the United States.
President Trump suggested that acquiring Greenland is essential for national security, indicating a desire for its annexation. However, Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded assertively via a Facebook post stating, “President Trump says that the United States ‘will get Greenland.’ Let me be clear: The United States will not get it. We do not belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.”
Nielsen’s response followed Trump’s interview with NBC News on Saturday, during which the president hinted that using military force to secure Greenland was still a possibility. Trump remarked on the potential of acquiring Greenland without resorting to military intervention, emphasizing that, “This is world peace, this is international security.” He added, however, that he does not rule out any options.
The suggestion by Trump has sparked anger among Greenland’s residents and politicians, with Denmark’s leaders also expressing their opposition. When questioned in the NBC interview regarding the implications this move might have for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has previously annexed regions of Ukraine in violation of international law, Trump responded, “I don’t care.”