Greenland's prime minister appears to have closed the door on President-elect Donald Trump's desire to acquire an autonomous territory for Denmark, saying Greenlanders do not want to be either Americans or Danes.
“We want to be Greenlanders,” Moute Egede said Thursday in “Special Report.” “We will always be part of NATO. We will always be a strong partner of NATO.” [the] USA We are close neighbors. It has been 80 years since our company was established. And in the future, I think we have a lot to offer and a lot to collaborate on. But we also want to be clear: we don't want to be American. we don't want to be part of it [the] The United States, we want strong cooperation with the United States. [the] us”
President Trump said at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month that he would not rule out using military or economic pressure to acquire Greenland or the Panama Canal.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“We need them for our economic security,” he told reporters. The 47th president-elect believes the Arctic islands are critical to U.S. national security.
FOX News Correspondent Alex Hogan I traveled to Nuuk in Greenland. In mid-January, I spoke with some residents who seemed less than enthusiastic about President Trump's plan.
“I would rather be with Denmark than the US,” said one man, who did not want to be named.
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A man from Greenland shared his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump's comments. (FOX News/Special News)
“America used to be a place that was kind of admired here. Basically, any goodwill that America used to have is now gone,” said another man.
One Greenlander, long-time Trump supporter Jørgen Boossen, described his homeland as a “gateway” not only to the United States but also to foreign adversaries such as Russia and China.
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Jorgen Boossen is a longtime Trump supporter. (FOX News/Special News)
FOX News anchor Bret Baier asked Egede whether Greenlanders would vote for independence from Denmark if given the chance.
“Yes, but it's up to the people of Greenland to decide when they want to become independent. And I think it's important to see if Greenland becomes independent.”[s] Through these steps, we will always remain a member of the Western Alliance and a strong partner of Western countries. [the] America, because your safety is our safety,” he replied.
The prime minister acknowledged Greenland's vast reserves of rare earth minerals such as zinc, gold and uranium, and called for stronger collaboration with the United States and the European Union to help Greenland diversify its economy and attract investment.
Houses can be seen on the coastline of Nuuk, Greenland. (Marley Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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“We have a lot to offer. We have a lot to work together, so we're ready for the United States to come here and invest in our minerals,” Egede said. added. He said there are currently no Chinese companies present or operating in Greenland.
