Trump’s decision to cancel trip takes Danish royals by surprise
● U-turn after US president rebuked over ‘absurd’ Greenland plan
US President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel a visit to Denmark next month after the Prime Minister described his plan to buy Greenland as “absurd” took the Danish royal palace by surprise, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
Lene Balleby said the news was “a surprise” to the royal household, which had formally invited Trump to visit Denmark on September 2 and 3 as part of a European trip.
She had no further comments.
Mr Trump announced his decision in a tweet after the Danish Prime Minister dismissed the notion of selling the semi-autonomous territory to the US as an absurd discussion.
He said: “Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time.”
There was no immediate reaction from the Danish government.
Former government ministers were quick to speak out, however.
Martin Lidegaard, a former foreign minister, told broadcaster TV2 it was “a diplomatic farce” and said Mr Trump’s behaviour was “grotesque” and he was “throwing a hissy fit”.
Mr Trump’s cancellation was “deeply insulting to the people of Greenland and Denmark,” former PM Helle Thorningschmidt wrote on Twitter.
Claus Oxfeldt, chairman of Denmark’s main police union, told media that authorities had been busy planning the third visit by a sitting US president to the Nato member.
“As far as I know, it has created great frustrations to have spent so much time preparing for a visit that is cancelled,” Mr Oxfeldt was quoted as saying.
Ordinary Danes shook their heads at the news, with many calling Mr Trump an “immature” person “living on another planet”.
“He thinks he can just buy Greenland, he acts like an elephant in a china shop,” said Pernille Iversen, a 41-year-old shopkeeper in Copenhagen.
“This is an insult to Queen Margrethe, to Denmark,” said Steen Gade, a 55-year-old road worker.
The US ambassador to Dentegic mark, Carla Sands, was apparently not informed of Mr Trump’s decision.
Shortly before he cancelled the trip on Twitter, she herself sent a tweet saying “Denmark is ready for POTUS”, using an abbreviation for “President of the United States” along with Mr Trump’s Twitter handle, with a photograph from Copenhagen’s City Hall square where a Dane had paid for two pro-trump ads on giant electronic screens.
Mr Trump had said on Sunday that he was interested in buying Greenland for strapurposes, but said a purchase was not a priority.
Both Ms Frederiksen and Greenland premier Kim Kielsen responded that Greenland is not for sale.
“The prime minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct,” Mr Trump said.
“I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!”
White House spokesman Judd Deere later confirmed that the visit to Denmark has been cancelled.
Mr Trump’s visit to Poland is expected to go ahead.
A 660,000-square-mile ice sheet covers around 80 per cent of Greenland.
Retreating ice could uncover potential oil and mineral resources which, if successfully tapped, could dramatically change the island’s fortunes.
However, no oil has been found in Greenlandic waters and the thickness of the ice means exploration is only possible in coastal regions.