Greenland Rejects Trump: Parties Unite Against US Buyout Bid

Greenland’s political leaders have firmly rejected repeated overtures from President Donald Trump for the United States to take control of the island, asserting that Greenland’s future should be determined by its own people.

Greenland Rejects US Acquisition Attempts

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four other party leaders stated Friday night (local time).

Trump reiterated his desire on Friday to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region of Denmark, stating he would like to make a deal “the easy way.” He warned that if the US doesn’t acquire Greenland, Russia or China might, and he does not want those nations as neighbors.

“If we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” Trump said, without elaborating on what that might entail. The White House indicated it is considering various options, including the use of military force.

Greenland’s party leaders reaffirmed that “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people.” They also expressed a desire for “the United States’ contempt for our country [to] end.”

Officials from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States met Thursday in Washington and are scheduled to meet again next week to discuss the White House’s renewed push for control of the island.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has cautioned that an American takeover of Greenland would effectively end NATO.

The Greenlandic party leaders emphasized that discussions regarding Greenland’s future will occur “in dialogue with the Greenlandic people and is prepared on the basis of international laws,” adding that “No other country can interfere in this.” They asserted their right to determine their country’s future “without pressure for quick decision, delay or interference from other countries.”

The statement was signed by Nielsen, Pele Broberg, Múte B. Egede, Aleqa Hammond and Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has a population of approximately 57,000 and lacks its own military, relying on Denmark for defense. Denmark’s military is significantly smaller than that of the United States.

The potential response from other NATO members should the US attempt to forcibly take control of Greenland, or if they were to come to Denmark’s aid, remains unclear.