Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede announced Friday that he is “ready to talk” with President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in acquiring the island.
At a joint press conference in Copenhagen with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Egede stated that he had not yet spoken with Trump but that he wants to have “discussions about what unites us.”
“Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work towards solutions,” Egede said.
Frederiksen also demonstrated a willingness to discuss Greenland with Trump, stating, “The U.S. is our closest ally, and we will do everything to continue a strong cooperation.”
She also indicated that Trump’s interest in Greenland speaks to its value on the international stage. “The debate on Greenlandic independence and the latest announcements from the U.S. show us the large interest in Greenland,” she said, “events which set in motion a lot of thoughts and feelings with many in Greenland and Denmark.”
Greenland had been a Danish colony from the 18th century until the 1950s, when it became a self-governing Danish territory. In 2009, the island nation won the right to declare independence if its 57,000 or so residents ever voted to do so.
‘We do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic.’
While Egede expressed interest in speaking with Trump and noted that Greenland is “a place that the Americans see as part of their world,” he reiterated that he and his fellow countrymen do not want to become part of the U.S.
“We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the master of our own house. … This is something everyone should respect,” he explained. “Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish. We do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic.”
The U.S. already has a small stake in Greenland: Pituffik Space Base, America’s northernmost military installation. Ice locks the area in nine months out of the year, but it remains operational year round.
Trump previously described gaining greater control of Greenland as an “absolute necessity” and worked diligently during his first term to make further inroads there. Now on the verge of beginning his second term, Trump has recently revitalized discussions about Greenland, even sending his son Don Jr. and others on a trip to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, to mingle with leaders and locals alike.
Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk, who joined Don Jr. on the trip to Greenland, recently explained to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck the strategic advantages of acquiring Greenland.
“What does it have to offer? First of all, striking beauty,” Kirk told Beck on Wednesday. “I mean, you would love it. … The pictures don’t do it justice. I’m talking about untouched, serene beauty. That’s number one. Number two: incredible natural resources that the current Danish government who controls Greenland does not allow locals to exploit or use or take advantage of. I’m talking about resources we might not even be aware of.”
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