U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed his administration looked into the prospect of buying Greenland from Denmark, saying the area was “strategically” interesting.
Danish PM calls Trump’s idea ‘absurd’
WASHINGTON (dpa) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed his administration looked into the prospect of buying Greenland from Denmark, saying the area was “strategically” interesting.
The comments come after both Denmark and Greenland repeatedly stressed the territory is not for sale.
“First, we have to find out if they have any interest,” Trump said as he was leaving New Jersey for Washington, while alleging that Denmark was losing money on keeping Greenland. “Essentially, it’s a large real estate deal.
“Trump threw doubt on whether he would in fact go to Denmark early in September as planned, but stressed this was not related to the recent fuss about Greenland.
“I don’t think Denmark has been absolutely set in stone, going there,” he said. If he went, he would talk about Greenland, but said the matter is “not top of the list.”
Larry Kudlow, a key economic adviser to Trump, went on Fox News earlier to confirm the interest, phrasing it as something right up the president’s alley, as a former real estate mogul.
“I am just saying the president, who knows a thing or two about buying real estate, wants to take a look … at the Greenland purchase,” Kudlow said.
“Denmark owns Greenland. Denmark is an ally,” he noted, before mentioning that the territory is in a “strategic” location and has natural resources, such as minerals.
“It’s an interesting story. It’s developing. We are looking at it. We don’t know,” Kudlow said.
A report in the Wall Street Journal earlier in the week said Trump had mused about buying the territory and told advisers to look into the issue.
Trump is scheduled to visit Denmark next month, and his trip is set to include time with the country’s monarchy, though his latest remarks did raise questions about the plans.
“Greenland is not for sale,” the Arctic territory’s government said in response to the report last week.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking during a planned trip to Greenland, stressed the point again during her visit.
“Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I consistently hope that this is not seriously meant,” Frederiksen told reporters when asked about the prospects for purchase, according to local daily Sermitsiaq.
“It’s an absurd discussion, and [Greenland premier] Kim Kielsen has of course made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, and it ends now,” she told Danish public broadcaster DR.
“On the other hand, there are really a lot of other matters we would like to discuss with the U.S. president,” she added, referring to Trump’s planned visit.