U.S. President Donald Trump is renewing his efforts to take management of Greenland for his nation’s nationwide safety — once more.
“We’d like Greenland for nationwide safety, not for minerals…. For those who check out Greenland, you lookup and down the coast, you might have Russian and Chinese language ships far and wide. We’d like it for nationwide safety. We have now to have it,” Trump advised reporters on Monday at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Fla.
Trump additionally clarified that the U.S. just isn’t occupied with Greenland for its mineral wealth.
“We have now so many websites for minerals and oil and every part. We have now extra oil than some other nation on this planet,” Trump stated. “We’ll need to work all of it out.”
On Sunday, Trump stated he named Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry particular envoy appointed to the Arctic island to “lead the cost.”
“I’m happy to announce that I’m appointing the GREAT Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, as the US Particular Envoy to Greenland,” Trump wrote on Reality Social.
“Jeff understands how important Greenland is to our Nationwide Safety, and can strongly advance our Nation’s Pursuits for the Security, Safety, and Survival of our Allies, and certainly, the World. Congratulations Jeff.”
Landry thanked Trump on X, writing, “It’s an honor to serve you on this volunteer place to make Greenland part of the U.S. This under no circumstances impacts my place as Governor of Louisiana.”
On Monday, the U.S. president stated Landry approached him about being appointed envoy.
“He’s a deal man. He’s a deal-maker kind man,” Trump stated.
Deputy White Home press secretary Anna Kelly stated Monday that Trump determined to create the particular envoy function as a result of the administration views Greenland as “a strategically vital location within the Arctic for sustaining peace via energy.”
The Trump administration put additional strain on Copenhagen on Monday, when it suspended leases for 5 massive offshore wind tasks being constructed off the East Coast of the U.S., together with two being developed by Denmark’s state-controlled Orsted.
Trump’s announcement appointing the particular envoy is drawing renewed criticism from Denmark and Greenland over Washington’s curiosity within the mineral-rich Arctic island.
Denmark’s international minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, advised Danish broadcasters he would summon the U.S. ambassador to his ministry over the appointment to “as soon as once more make it clear that there are some traces being crossed right here, however after all additionally to get an evidence.”
“I’m very upset about this appointment of a particular envoy. And I’m significantly upset concerning the envoy’s statements, which we discover fully unacceptable,” Lokke Rasmussen stated.
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“Out of nowhere, there may be now a particular U.S. presidential consultant, who, in keeping with himself, is tasked with taking up Greenland. That is, after all, fully unacceptable.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, launched a joint assertion with regard to Trump claiming the U.S. wanted Greenland for “nationwide safety.”
“We have now stated it earlier than. Now, we are saying it once more. Nationwide borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in worldwide regulation,” Frederiksen and Nielsen stated. “They’re basic ideas. You can’t annex one other nation. Not even with an argument about worldwide safety.”
“Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland,” they added within the assertion emailed by Frederiksen’s workplace. “We count on respect for our joint territorial integrity.”
Greenland’s Nielsen additionally launched a press release Monday after Trump made the appointment, writing, “We have now as soon as once more woken as much as a brand new assertion from the American president, who has now appointed a Particular Envoy to Greenland. It might sound vital. But it surely modifications nothing for us right here at residence.”
“Our future is determined by us. Greenland is our nation. We have now our personal democracy, our personal choices, and a robust group that stands agency. Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic individuals, and territorial integrity have to be revered,” he added.
“We’re glad to cooperate with different nations, together with the US, however this should all the time happen with respect for us and for our values and desires. There isn’t a purpose for concern. We stand collectively, and we stand agency.”
Nielsen additionally shared a put up on Fb, stating that he was “unhappy, as a result of at a press convention tonight the American president once more expressed a want to take over Greenland.”
“With phrases like that our nation is decreased to a query of safety and energy. This isn’t how we see ourselves, and this isn’t how we in Greenland can or must be talked about,” he continued.
“We’re individuals with a protracted historical past, a robust tradition and a vibrant democracy. We’re a rustic with duty for our personal territory and for our personal future.”
Nielsen stated Greenland’s “territorial integrity” and “proper to self-determination” are “rooted in worldwide regulation and can’t merely be ignored.”
“Subsequently, I’m additionally grateful. Thanks guys at residence for the clear assist and unity proven. The calmness and dignity with which you might have met the scenario sends a transparent sign of individuals standing agency on their values and tasks,” he added.
“Greenland is our nation. That is the place our choices are made. And at any time I’ll combat for our freedom and our proper to self-determination and form our future.”
Trump has lengthy advocated for Greenland to turn out to be a part of the US.
Trump initially voiced his curiosity in Greenland in 2019 throughout his first time period in workplace. He stated Greenland was “hurting Denmark very badly” and costing it US$700 million a 12 months. His resolution was to have the US purchase Greenland, calling it “a big actual property deal.”
Final December, Trump renewed unsuccessful calls he made throughout his first time period for the U.S. to purchase Greenland, the world’s largest island, from Denmark.
“For functions of Nationwide Safety and Freedom all through the World, the US of America feels that the possession and management of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” he wrote.
Greenlandic and Danish officers made it clear they need nothing to do with what Trump was proposing.
Denmark’s Frederiksen stated in January that “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” The island is “not on the market,” she stated, including that “we have to keep calm and stick with our ideas.”
In January, Danish politician Anders Vistisen didn’t maintain again when he issued a public message to Trump over his pitch to make Greenland a part of the US.
“Expensive President Trump, hear very rigorously,” Vistisen stated in European Parliament. “Greenland has been a part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It’s an built-in a part of our nation. It isn’t on the market.”
Vistisen went on to make use of some profanity that bought him in bother with the remainder of the European Parliament.
“Let me put it in phrases you would possibly perceive,” he stated. “Mr. Trump, f–okay off!”
Former Greenland prime minister Múte Bourup Egede reasserted in March that Greenland can’t be purchased, in response to Trump, who stated the US would purchase the territory “a method or one other” throughout a speech to Congress.
“Kalaallit Nunaat is ours,” Egede wrote on Fb, utilizing Greenlandic for the “Land of the Folks” or the “Land of the Greenlanders.”
“We don’t wish to be People, nor Danes; we’re Kalaallit [Greenlanders]. The People and their chief should perceive that. We aren’t on the market and can’t merely be taken. Our future can be determined by us in Greenland,” he added in his put up.
When Greenland’s present prime minister, Nielsen, took workplace in March, he pushed again in opposition to Trump’s assertions that America would take management of the island territory.
“President Trump says that the US ‘will get Greenland.’ Let me be clear: America won’t get it. We don’t belong to anybody else. We resolve our personal future,” Nielsen stated in a Fb put up.
“We should not act out of concern. We should reply with peace, dignity and unity. And it’s via these values that we should clearly, clearly and calmly present the American president that Greenland is ours.
“It was like that yesterday. That’s how it’s at present. And that’s how it is going to be sooner or later.”
— With information from The Related Press and Reuters
