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Greenland’s leader says island ‘is ours’ in defiance of message from Trump

05 Mar 2025 3 minute read
Donal Trump. Greenland image: NASA

Greenland’s Prime Minister has declared “Greenland is ours” and cannot be taken or bought, in defiance of US President Donald Trump.

Mute Bourup Egede’s message follows Mr Trump’s claims that his administration supported the Arctic island’s right of self-determination – but added that the United States will acquire the territory “one way or another”.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Mr Egede said the island’s citizens are neither American nor Danish because they are Greenlandic.

The United States needs to understand that, he wrote in a post in Greenlandic and Danish on Facebook.

The future of Greenland will be decided by its people, Mr Egede added.

Direct appeal

His post came hours after Mr Trump made a direct appeal to Greenlanders in a speech to US Congress on Tuesday, a week before islanders head to the polls for parliamentary elections.

“We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,” Mr Trump said.

“We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,” he added.

But Mr Trump also said his administration was “working with everybody involved to try to get it”, referring to his wishes to acquire Greenland from Denmark – a long-standing US ally.

“We need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” Mr Trump said.

Many in Greenland, a vast and mineral-rich island that is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, are worried and offended by Mr Trump’s threats to seize control of their homeland.

Asked about Mr Trump’s comments, Denmark’s foreign minister said he did not think Greenlanders wanted to separate from Denmark in order to instead become “an integrated part of America”.

Optimism

Lars Lokke Rasmussen sought to strike an optimistic tone, saying he believed that Mr Trump’s reference to respecting Greenlanders’ right to self-determination was “the most important part of that speech”.

“I’m very optimistic about what will be a Greenlandic decision about this. They want to loosen their ties to Denmark, we’re working on that, to have a more equal relationship,” the minister said during a trip to Finland.

Mr Lokke added that it was important that next week’s parliamentary elections are free and fair “without any kind of international intervention”.

Greenlanders will head to the polls on Tuesday. Mr Trump’s recent comments about taking over the island have ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark, which has become a key issue during campaign season.


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Jeff
Jeff
17 days ago

Krasnov is a clear and present danger now.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
17 days ago

Prez Volod needs to read this and put up a sign saying ‘No cold callers’. Trumps’ message to Greenland is you can have self determination AS A NEW STATE OF THE U.S.A. like all the others.

hdavies15
hdavies15
17 days ago

Don going to Greenland would be walking on thin ice. Egede would see to that.

If world security is of real concern Don would rewind the reel and pull his horns in over Ukraine. He could secure a peace deal without the public humiliation of another state’s leader but that’s not his style. Any tvrd who repeatedly describes international relations and military conflict in terms of card games is a grade A wanchor. He needs to reassess the vocabulary he uses in such situations and then maybe he’ll merit consideration as a statesman of some credibility.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
17 days ago

It’ll be interesting to see how the UN reacts when America does invade Greenland. Any other nation saying such inflammatory remarks about annexing a sovereign country would by regarded part of the axis of evil. Oh, sorry. Apologies to Uncle Sam. It’s saintly America. They cannot do no bad.

Rob
Rob
17 days ago

This new global order we are entering is potentially more dangerous than the Cold War. At least then both sides were deterred from fighting against each other because of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). Yes of course I want the USA and Russia to be friends but I also want them to be rational actors. What we have is a fascist dictator and a wannabe dictator who will be able to collaborate together without any constraint.

David
David
17 days ago
Reply to  Rob

Zelensky was an actor before becoming President.

Rob
Rob
17 days ago
Reply to  David

Actor and Rational Actor are not the same thing

Mark T
Mark T
17 days ago
Reply to  David

Zelensky was a comedian who became a President. Trump is a President who’s becoming a comedian .

Jeff
Jeff
17 days ago

Trump has manage to boost the Russian economy. Its stocks are rising, however the US markets are in free fall. Can they afford to go to Greenland?

Really the dumbest president and all round farage friend going.

Anyone still think the US are our friends? (most people there I expect to be our friend’s but the top echelons are not and they have reform and Cons in their pocket)

Brad
Brad
17 days ago

Perhaps he’ll offer to annex Russia next.

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