President Donald Trump reportedly told Denmark in a recent fiery phone call that he was serious about taking over Greenland, leaving European officials panicking, officials told the Financial Times on Friday.
President Trump reportedly had a 45-minute phone conversation with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, during which the prime minister reiterated to Trump that Greenland was not for sale, but Trump vehemently pushed back. A senior European official briefed on the telephone conversation. said Financial Times. Russia and China's influence in the Arctic has only increased in recent years, and President Trump has cited national security as one of the reasons for a possible takeover of Greenland.
“The intent was very clear. They want it,” one official told the Financial Times. “The Danes are currently in a state of crisis.” (Related: As President Trump grants pardons, Republicans begin plotting how to undo years of government abuses)
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks after meeting with party leaders on Greenland at the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen on January 9, 2025. (Photo by EMIL NICOLAI HELMS/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the Financial Times, President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark unless it abandons the Arctic island. Greenland is rich in natural resources, including rich oil reserves and minerals.
The United States currently operates the Pitufik U.S. Space Station on the island, which includes a radar station that is part of the U.S. ballistic missile early warning system. According to to the Department of Defense. According to the Financial Times, Greenland's Prime Minister Moute Egede has repeatedly stressed that the island of about 57,000 people would rather be independent than submit to U.S. rule.
Trump first proposed the idea in 2019 but ultimately abandoned it after Frederiksen was shot down. There have also been tongue-in-cheek hints that President Trump would take over the Panama Canal to stem China's influence on trade, and that Canada should become the 51st state.
“He was very steady. It was a cold shower,” another official told the Financial Times. “Before, it was difficult to take it seriously. But I think it's serious and potentially very dangerous.”
Denmark's Prime Minister's Office told the Financial Times: “The interpretation of the conversation by anonymous sources is not acceptable.”
Denmark's Foreign Ministry and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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