Greenland's prime minister said Monday that the autonomous island is not for sale, after President-elect Donald Trump said it was “absolutely necessary” for the United States to own Greenland.
“Greenland is ours. As reported by the BBC and the Guardian, we are not and will never be for sale,” Prime Minister Moute Egede said in a statement.
“We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Egede added.
The statement comes after President Trump released a statement on Sunday announcing that he had selected Ken Howery as ambassador to Denmark and floated the idea of owning Greenland.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but is its own autonomous country.
“For the sake of national security and freedom around the world, the United States feels that ownership and control of Greenland is absolutely necessary,” President Trump said.real social posts.
President Trump has raised this issue in the past. In late 2019, President Trump said buying Greenland was “strategically” interesting, prompting a disgruntled reaction from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“It's essentially owned by Denmark. We have a very good ally with Denmark. President Trump said at the time that we will protect Denmark the same way we protect much of the world,” he said, adding, “Strategic “It's interesting and we're interested, but we'll have a little discussion with them.” It's not number one on the burner. ”
Frederiksen called the idea “ridiculous” and told reporters at the time: “Greenland is not Denmark. Greenland is Greenlanders. I really hope this is not meant in a serious way. .”
The president-elect suggested to aides during his first term that the United States could trade Puerto Rico for Greenland, according to a book by Peter Baker of the New York Times and Susan Glasser of the New Yorker.
President Trump caused a stir this weekend by suggesting the United States take back control of the Panama Canal from Panama and expressing dissatisfaction with the canal's fees.
Panama's President Jose Raúl Mulino hit back at Trump in a video statement Sunday.
“As president, I want to make it clear that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belongs to Panama and always will,” Mulino said. “Our sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.”
