President-elect Trump said on social media Sunday night that it is “absolutely necessary” for the United States to own Greenland, in a statement announcing Ken Howley as his nominee for ambassador to Denmark.
Hawley, a tech investor and co-founder of PayPal, served as ambassador to Sweden under Trump.
“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. True social posts.
In late 2019, President Trump said buying Danish-owned Greenland would be “strategically” interesting, prompting an angry response from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“It's essentially owned by Denmark. We have a very good ally with Denmark. We'll protect Denmark the same way we protect most of the world,” Trump said at the time.
“Strategically it's interesting and we're interested, but we'll have a little talk with them. It's not the number one topic,” he added.
Frederiksen called the idea “ridiculous” and told reporters at the time: “Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlander. 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.
Trump caused a stir overseas over the weekend with his posts and comments about the Panama Canal.
On Saturday, President Trump took to Truth Social to express his displeasure with the Panama Canal fees and vowed to return oversight of the canal to the United States when he returns to the White House unless changes are made.
“The fees Panama charges are ridiculous, especially given the extraordinary generosity the United States has given Panama,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This complete 'rip-off' of our country will be stopped immediately.”
The next day, President Trump said at an event for the conservative group Turning Point USA that the canal was “a gift to Panama and the Panamanian people, but it has provisions and they're supposed to treat us fairly, and they're treating us fairly.” It's not being treated fairly.”
“If the moral and legal principles of this generous act are not upheld, we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned completely, promptly, and without question to the United States,” he said. added.
Panama's President Jose Raul 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 will continue to do so,” Mulino said. “Our sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.”
