US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim on Monday that the United States needs to take control of Greenland from Denmark in the interest of “international security.”
His repeated calls in recent weeks are raising concerns and debate among the Arctic island’s 57,000-strong population as well as the United States’ European allies.
“Greenland is an amazing place. We need this for international security. And I’m sure Denmark will come along,” the President said.
“As you know, the people of Greenland are not happy with Denmark. I think they are happy with us. … My son and the representative went there two weeks ago, and they like us. So, we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, hours after his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.
Donald Trump Jr. visited Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on January 7, where he handed out “Make America Great Again” baseball caps and had lunch with a group of locals before returning to the US a few hours later.
At a press conference in Florida the same day, President-elect Trump said he refused to use economic or military force to regain control of Greenland.
‘not for sale’
Denmark and its European allies have offered a cautious response, stressing the need to respect international sovereignty while trying not to anger Trump.
Greenland already has a high degree of independence, although responsibility for the island’s security matters rests with Denmark.
Naja Nathanielsen, a senior minister in Greenland’s autonomous government, had a simple response to Trump’s comments. “We are not an object. And we are not for sale,” she told VOA.
Still, Nathanielson sees common ground with Washington.
“If you end the rhetoric, I would like to hear two messages from America,” he said. “One, we need to look at the national security aspect, and we quite agree with the American message on that point. We have been trying to advocate for this also for some years. And the other perspective is, and the other message that I’ve heard is that we want to engage more in the Greenlandic minerals sector. And it’s really, you know, kicking in an open door.
political change
General elections are to be held in Greenland by April. The government wants to hold a simultaneous referendum on full independence from Denmark.
“Greenlandians have to decide for themselves what our future will be like,” Greenland Premier Mute Eggede said during a live televised debate with political leaders from Denmark and Greenland on Sunday. “We have said very precisely that Greenland – and we in this country – do not want to be Americanized. We don’t want to be Danes either. We are Greenlanders,” he said.
After centuries of Danish control, the political winds of change are gathering momentum in Greenland, according to Arnak Nielsen, opinion editor of the Greenlandic Weekly. Sermitsiaq Newspaper.
“Everything is about Trump Jr.’s visit, and when you meet with people, that’s what we talk about,” Nielsen told VOA in an interview. Sermitsiaq Newsroom in Nuuk.
“This situation is developing very rapidly. Now it’s about much more than the complicated relationship between Denmark and Greenland. Suddenly Trump Jr. comes here, and everything explodes. It’s hard to figure out what’s going on.”
“There is a very small number of people here who are really happy that Trump Jr. came to Greenland. And a very small number of people are actually angry about his coming here. But the larger majority is not as loud because only the two extremes are being heard,” Nielsen said.
social media
Those extremes are being amplified by social media. YouTube influencers followed Trump Jr.’s visit to Greenland by distributing US dollar bills to passersby, as well as baseball caps emblazoned with the slogan “Make Greenland Great Again.” The influential people are not associated with the Trump administration.
Many Greenlanders welcomed unfamiliar visitors. Others engaged in angry exchanges. A video posted online last week shows an unidentified local resident tearing up a US currency note and stamping on a red Make Greenland Great Again baseball cap.
“Do you think you can buy us?” the man said.
Nuuk residents who spoke to VOA were divided about the global attention.
“I think we’re in a terrible situation,” said Nuuk resident Per Chemnitz. “Our politicians are completely mishandling this. They have been seduced by something bigger than they can handle. So, I don’t know where it will end. “The worst that can happen is that we lose our connection with Denmark.”
Aka Grönevold, who also lives in the Greenlandic capital, welcomed Trump’s intervention.
“Right now, Greenland has the whole world’s attention. “It’s really good, and now it’s time for Greenland to get some more attention.” Groenewald told VOA.
‘Make Greenland Great Again’
It looks like this attention will continue. Republican lawmakers last week introduced a bill called the Make Greenland Great Again Act, allowing President Trump to begin negotiations with Denmark on purchasing Greenland. It is not yet clear whether the bill will get sufficient support from Congress.
Denmark reiterated Greenland’s claim that the island is not for sale, but said it would welcome greater cooperation with Trump on security and mineral extraction.
John Rahbek-Clemmensen, a renowned analyst at the Royal Danish Defense College, says controlling Greenland comes with a cost.
“If the US went in and took over Greenland, they would suddenly have to pay the bill for running the Greenlandic Society – a bill that is being covered right now by the Danish government and which would be US$750 million to US$1. The lines run billions per year,” Rahbek-Clemmensen said.
,[The U.S.] He gets all his interests, and doesn’t have to pay bills. And so, geopolitically speaking, it doesn’t really make sense to change that situation. So, if I had to explain why Trump is interested in Greenland… I would say it probably has to do with the whole idea of Make America Great Again,” he told VOA.
“In this case, the acquisition of Greenland would literally make America great – or at least bigger,” he said.