Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday that his government understands America’s legitimate security interests in the Arctic region but is still not interested in handing over Greenland as President-elect Donald Trump has demanded.
“We agree that the Americans have certain concerns about the security situation in the Arctic, which we share, and therefore in close cooperation with Greenland, we are ready to continue talks with the incoming U.S. president, in order to ensure legitimate American interests,” Rasmussen said.
“I don’t want to get into any dispute with the incoming president Trump,” he added. “He has a certain specific way to formulate requests, and what we are doing right now is getting into a more detailed dialogue with the incoming president.”
Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Egede, sounded a similar note on Monday at a press conference in Copenhagen. Egede said he was prepared to open a “dialogue” with Trump about security and economic issues, but insisted “Greenland’s independence is Greenland’s business.”
“Greenland will decide what agreement we should come to,” he said.
Egede, who was a bit prickly last week in declaring that Greenland is “not for sale and will never be for sale,” was in much better humor on Monday. He said it was rather exciting for the territory he administers to be the focus of world attention for a little while.
“This is the first time Greenland has been listened to in an intense way. We need to be calm and take advantage of things and stand together,” he said.
On Sunday, Egede announced that leaders from Greenland’s political parties will meet on Tuesday to formulate a unified response to the incoming U.S. president.
“We should also remember that we have international cooperation relations and agreements that we should rely on and further develop, also with the U.S. to a great extent. We are allies, and that is our starting point,” Egede said.
Egede updated his Facebook page on Friday to declare: “We don’t want to be Danes. We don’t want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders.”
Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt, whose full title is Minister for Independence and Foreign Affairs, suggested America’s interest could help Greenland achieve its long-sought goal of independence from Denmark.
“On the road to an independent Greenland, we are open to more and constructive cooperation with our nearest neighbors,” she said. “Greenland looks forward to discussing the possibilities for business cooperation and the development of Greenland’s mineral sector, including critical minerals and other relevant areas with the U.S.”
“Greenland is aware of the changed security dynamics in the Arctic. We understand and recognize that Greenland plays a decisive and important role for the U.S.’s national security interests,” she said.
Some other prominent Greenlanders suggested Trump’s pressure could have the opposite effect, bringing Greenland and Denmark closer together.
Aja Chemnitz, one of Greenland’s two representatives in the Danish parliament, said last week that most Greenlanders “find it quite scary and uncomfortable” that Trump is so determined to take control. She said she was in close contact with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to coordinate a response.
“A close dialogue between Greenland and Denmark is important right now. It’s also important to be very calm and think about how we can make a wise decision,” she said.
“Greenland is not MAGA and is not going to be MAGA,” she declared.
Contrary to Chemnitz, Greenland’s public broadcaster Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) had no trouble finding some locals who were enthusiastic about joining the United States, or at least thought it was nice for the Danes to stop taking them for granted.
“The U.S. is more attractive. Everything just gets more and more expensive here,” one Greenlander said.
“I don’t fully trust Danes. Maybe I will have more trust in Trump,” mused another.
In a move bound to make Chemnitz grind her teeth, a dozen House Republicans on Monday introduced a bill called the “Make Greenland Great Again Act,” which would authorize Trump to begin negotiating with Denmark for the purchase of Greenland.
“Joe Biden took a blowtorch to our reputation these past four years, and before even taking office, President Trump is telling the world that America First is back. American economic and security interests will no longer take a backseat, and House Republicans are ready to help President Trump deliver for the American people,” said sponsor Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).
