President Donald Trump told Denmark’s Prime Minister he is serious about taking over Greenland in a “fiery” phone call on last week, the Financial Times reports.
Trump and Mette Frederiksen spoke on the phone for 45 minutes last week after the president said he wanted the U.S. to take Greenland, despite officials repeatedly saying it’s not for sale.
The phone call was fiery, the Financial Times reports, with one official with knowledge of the conversation calling it “horrendous.”
“He was very firm,” another unnamed source told the Financial Times. “It was a cold shower. Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially very dangerous.”
Officials also told the Financial Times Trump was aggressive and confrontational, despite Frederiksen’s offer to increase Greenland-U.S. cooperation on military bases and natural resource exploitation.
The call “utterly freaked out” the Danes, one Danish official told the Financial Times.
“The intent was very clear,” another official told the outlet. “They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode.”
Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, told Fox that Trump has made it clear “the safety and security of Greenland is important to the United States as China and Russia make significant investments throughout the Arctic region.”
“The President is committed to not only protecting U.S. interests in the Arctic but also working with Greenland to ensure mutual prosperity for both nations,” he added.
Trump has been floating the idea of buying or otherwise taking over Greenland, an island home to 56,000 people, since his first term. He refused to rule out the possible use of military force in Greenland when pressed earlier this month during a press conference.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last month.
Meanwhile, Frederiksen has also said that Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Edege, “has been very, very clear … there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future.”
Residents aren’t happy, either.
Bilo Chemnitz, who lives in the capital city Nuuk, told The Washington Post: “I don’t trust the guy.”
“I want Greenland to stay like it is,” he added.
“I don’t like the way he talks about Greenland,” resident Ida Abelsen similarly told the Post.
