The US president has reportedly had a “strained” conversation with the Danish prime minister over Greenland and the US control of it.
A 45-minute call last week between Donald Trump and Mette Frederiksen led to a verbal spat, senior European officials told the Financial Times. Trump took an aggressive approach and threatened to impose tariffs on the US NATO ally.
National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes did not comment on the tone of the conversation but said Trump was focused on Greenland as part of a larger competition with China and Russia.
“President Donald Trump has made it clear that the security and safety of Greenland is important to the US because China and Russia are making significant investments across the Arctic region,” Hughes said in a statement.
He added: “The US president is committed not only to protecting US interests in the Arctic, but also to working with Greenland to ensure mutual prosperity for both countries.”
Trump and Frederiksen spoke by phone on January 15. The Danish prime minister at the time referred to statements by the speaker of the Greenland parliament that the island was not for sale and that Greenland should decide on its independence.
He also suggested that Denmark take greater responsibility for security in the Arctic, stressing that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the US and that the EU and the US have a common interest in strengthening trade.
The Trump team did not comment on the details of the phone call, but he has previously said that he would not rule out the possibility of taking control of the island, either economically or militarily.
Trump, speaking from the White House Oval Office hours after being sworn in as president, reiterated his goal of taking control of Greenland, saying: “I am confident that Denmark will join us on this.”
Since winning the election, the US President has spoken of his desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, to the United States. He has not even ruled out using military and economic power to persuade Denmark to surrender it.
On the other hand, Greenland Prime Minister Múte B. Egede, who has increased efforts for the independence of the island in the North Pacific Ocean at the same time as Trump’s statements, has repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale and that it is the people who decide the future of their land.