Denmark's prime minister says Trump threatened trade conflict over Greenland
US President-elect Donald Trump threatens Denmark with a trade conflict amid words about his desire to annex Greenland. This was announced by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen after telephone talks with Trump on January 15.
"Trump during our phone conversation on Wednesday did not back down from his threats to use economic coercion to take control of Greenland," the report noted.
The prime minister added that Denmark does not want a trade conflict with the United States, but nevertheless has to prepare for it together with the Danish business community.
On January 15, during a telephone conversation with Trump, the Prime Minister said that Greenland itself should decide on independence. The Prime Minister emphasized that the island is not for sale. She called for respect for the people who live in the country. According to Frederiksen, the future of the island will be decided in Greenland and Nuuk.
Trump said that for the U.S. "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity", on December 22, 2024, announcing the appointment of an ambassador to Denmark. He had previously expressed interest in buying Greenland from Denmark in 2019, but was turned down. In the coming year, Trump was also indicated that the island was not for sale and would not be sold, but Denmark could cooperate more with the US.
After that, on January 13, it became known that the representatives of the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives put forward a bill to authorize negotiations on the purchase of Greenland. At the same time, Egede said that the citizens of Greenland should have control over the island and choose their own future.