The Danish government spoke privately with members of President-elect Donald Trump’s team about security in Greenland, signaling they are willing to work with the U.S. after Trump said he wanted to buy the country.
In recent days, representatives of the Danish government spoke with the incoming administration broadly about security measures in Greenland – and more specifically about potentially increasing U.S. military presence there, according to Axios
Those familiar with the conversation told Axios that Denmark asked the Trump team for clarification about what the president-elect wanted after he repeatedly said he wanted the U.S. to take over Greenland and did not rule out using military force.
While the Danish government reiterated that Greenland is “not for sale” they expressed a willingness to work with the Trump team on the president-elect’s desires.
The Independent has asked a member of the Trump–Vance transition team and the Danish government for comment.
Those private conversations, if true, appear to be Denmark’s way of turning the temperature down as Trump stirs the pot.
Though he has not officially taken office yet, Trump signaled he plans to try and increase U.S. presence – or control – over Greenland because it serves a national security role for the U.S.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., took a one-day trip to Greenland with his team to speak with locals, officials said this was a personal trip.
Greenland, a country of approximately 56,000 people, is an autonomous territory of Denmark. The island country is situated northeast of Canada within the Arctic Circle. The U.S. has had a military base on Greenland since 1951, it currently is part of the U.S. Space Force.
Trump’s comments, in which he did not rule out using military force to take over Greenland, were met with ire from European leaders who warned the incoming president about taking aggressive action against NATO-aligned countries.
It’s unclear how serious Trump is about his threats regarding Greenland. Secretary of State Antony Blinken threw cold water on Trump’s comments saying it was “not a good idea” and “not going to happen.”
In a press conference on Friday, Greenlandic Premier Múte Egede and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said they met in Copenhagen and agreed to open discussions with Trump. Both have assured that Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and that the country is not for sale.
“We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the master of our own house … This is something everyone should respect,” Egede said. “But that doesn’t mean we are cutting all ties, all cooperation and all relations with Denmark.”
