Danish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are furious at US President Donald Trump's attempts to sell or cede Greenland to the US.
Anders Bystissen, a member of the right-wing Danish People's Party, mentioned President Trump's efforts at an EU conference in Strasbourg, France.
“Dear President Trump, listen to me. Greenland has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark for 800 years. It's an integrated part of our country. It's not for sale,” Bystissen said.
Apparently taking a cue from the salty language sometimes used by American presidents, Mr. Vistissen said he intended to phrase his remarks in “words that you might understand.”
Greenland's Prime Minister says Arctic island doesn't want to be part of us
Anders Vistissen of the Danish ECR Party gave a speech. (Reuters)
“Mr. Trump, stop it!” Bistissen said.. The comment drew a formal rebuke from Nicolae Stefanus, vice-president of the European Parliament, who also suggested that he had concerns about Mr. Trump.
“If the translation is correct, the terminology you used will not be accepted in this House and it will have an impact on the message you used,” Romania's representative Stefanuscha said.
“That can't be tolerated in this Democratic House of Representatives. Regardless of what we think about Mr. Trump, we can't use that kind of language.”
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., reportedly led a small delegation to Greenland's capital Nuuk to meet with the nation and host a luncheon ahead of the inauguration.
Both Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the land was not for sale.
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The island is relatively autonomous in terms of internal affairs and relies on Copenhagen for foreign policy and support.
However, the United States maintains a U.S. Space Force in Greenland at Pitufik (formerly Thule) Air Base near Sabisvik.
Just over 100 years ago, the United States succeeded in purchasing Danish land from Copenhagen.
Denmark's King Christian Democratic President Woodrow Wilson at the time approved the treaty.
Kakoltok means “white” in Greenlandic. (Danuta Hamlin)
Mr. Wilson's Secretary of State, Frank Polk, said residents of the archipelago would have American citizenship but would not have “national political status,” according to State Department records.
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However, residents were later granted full citizenship rights by an Act of Parliament in 1932.
With roots in the Danish West Indies and originally home to British expatriates, this region is also the only U.S. territory where it is legal to drive on the left side of the road.
