World
January 7, 2025 18:21
amsterdam - Donald Trump is persisting on the idea of acquiring Greenland while his son, Don Jr., makes a 'private visit' to the island.
Don Jr. states that he is only going there for a day of fishing and to capture some footage for a podcast. He will not have meetings with local political leaders or government officials, according to a source involved in the trip, as reported by the AP. However, Greenlandic media suggests a possible meeting with Erik Jensen, the leader of the ruling party Siumut and the de facto Minister of Finance of the island.
Donald Trump himself made it clear that his son's visit is more than just a pleasure trip. "I hear the people of Greenland are MAGA," he posted on his Truth Social site on Monday. "My son Don Jr. will be traveling there, along with some of my representatives, to visit some of the most beautiful places and tourist attractions."
The incoming president continued his post with a call to the Greenlandic population. "Greenland is an incredible place. The people will greatly benefit if it becomes part of our nation. We will protect and cherish it against a malevolent outside world. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is expanding his involvement in European affairs as an advisor to Trump, joined the call on his platform X. "The people of Greenland should decide about their future, and I believe they want to be part of America!" he tweeted on Monday.
During his first term, Trump had made it a matter of pride to incorporate Greenland. He was initially inspired by his friend Ronald S. Lauder, the wealthy New York heir of the Estee Lauder cosmetics empire. However, all attempts to secure Denmark's cooperation failed. In 2019, Trump canceled a visit to Copenhagen after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed his idea as "absurd."
Trump's recent overtures initially received rejecting responses. "We are not for sale and will never be for sale," Greenland's Prime Minister Múte B. Egede reacted in December to Trump's renewed interest. "We must not abandon our long-standing struggle for our freedom." The prime minister advocates for complete independence of his country. The residents of Greenland (56,000 inhabitants) will go to the polls by 6th April. Although the country has had self-government since 1979, it still depends on Danish subsidies for many matters.
The Danish government, still responsible for Greenland's defense and foreign policy as the former colonizer, remained more reserved. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Frederiksen stated that the government "looks forward to working with the new U.S. administration," without further comment. However, a Danish parliamentarian previously mentioned that Trump's plan is "an extraordinarily strange way to be an ally."
Denmark took Trump's plans so seriously that in December, the country decided to invest over $1.5 billion in Greenland's defense. The announcement of this decision, coincidentally according to the Danish government, was made a day after Trump announced his renewed interest in acquiring Greenland. Earlier this year, the Danish royal family introduced a new coat of arms featuring Greenland and the Faroe Islands prominently.
Recognizing the significant strategic importance of Greenland is not surprising given its vast reserves of oil, gas, and rare earth metals crucial for the production of electric vehicles and wind turbines. With the Arctic routes becoming more navigable due to climate change, China and Russia have increased their activities in the region in recent years. Since the early 1950s, the island has hosted a U.S. airbase.
Donald Trump is not the first U.S. president to eye Greenland. According to Danish historian Taage Karsted, President Harry Truman's administration also attempted to acquire the island in 1946. However, the Danish government did not consider the proposal. In 1868, shortly after the American Civil War, the then Secretary of State William Seward also unsuccessfully floated the idea of acquiring Greenland.