Greenland’s elected leader declared that the vast Arctic island is not for sale, responding to Donald Trump’s recent remarks about the “ownership and control” of the territory, which has been under Danish control for over 600 years.
“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” stated Greenland’s Prime Minister, Múte Egede, in a written comment.
On Sunday, the President-elect of the United States named Ken Howery, a former ambassador to Sweden, as his nominee for the ambassadorship to Copenhagen and commented on the status of Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Denmark.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America believes that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump declared on Truth Social.
Trump, who will assume office on January 20th, did not provide further details on his statement.
For many, Trump’s remarks recalled a similar proposal he made during his presidency in 2019, suggesting that the US should purchase Greenland, home to the strategically significant Pituffik US space base.
Both Denmark and the island’s authorities swiftly dismissed that proposal before any formal discussions could begin.
The remarks also sparked widespread ridicule, symbolizing the disruption Trump caused in traditional global diplomacy—a pattern that is anticipated to recur with Trump’s return to the White House next month.
In 2019, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trump’s initial proposal “absurd,” prompting the then-president to retaliate by calling her “nasty” and canceling his planned trip to Copenhagen.
On the same day, Trump also threatened to reclaim US control over the Panama Canal, criticizing Panama for imposing high fees for passage through the canal, which elicited a stern response from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino.
