Summary
- Trump appeared less focused on acquiring Greenland recently.
- The Danish Prime Minister believes Trump will revisit Greenland interests.
- Trump’s past moves stressed Greenland’s strategic and security value.
Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister of Denmark, stated on Tuesday that it is too soon for anyone to "breathe a sigh of relief."
Trump has stated in the past that he is committed to acquiring Greenland and that American sovereignty over the island is necessary for "national security and international security."
In March, when reporters questioned him about whether he would contemplate using military force to acquire Greenland, he responded,
"I never take military force off the table."
The self-governing Danish colony of Greenland has strongly opposed the U.S.'s possible acquisition of it, and the Danish government has denounced the Trump administration's efforts to impose its will on the region.
During her address to parliament on Tuesday, Frederiksen said that much of Greenland's population still lives in uncertainty over what the Trump administration will do to try to take control of the island and its vast supply of unmined rare earth minerals.
“Imagine what it’s like to live in one of the small settlements along the coast … when the world’s strongest superpower has talked about you as something that can be bought, as something that can be owned, as something that must be had,”
she said.
“No matter what happens, we support Greenland in determining its own future. And we will not be threatened or intimidated into doing something that is clearly wrong.”
Greenland's leadership is in talks with the U.K. to formalize a mineral partnership and its Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt told Politico it wanted to explore trade partnerships with other "like-minded countries" in an attempt to fortify it against American bullying.
“Of course, we want to have cooperation with our critical minerals with our like-minded countries, and [the] EU is a good partner, we like them,”
she said in May.
She also condemned the Trump administration for its aggressive push to take control of the island.
“We’re supposed to be friends. We are allies. Allies don’t do such things,”
Motzfeldt said.
“The situation is new to us, and new to the rest of the world, because you don’t do... that to your ally.”
"Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,"
Vance said in March.
"You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change."
In an effort to interact with Greenlanders directly, Vance and his wife Usha traveled to the island in March, but nobody was interested in meeting with them.
The Vances had originally planned to meet with a travel agency in Greenland and attend the Avannaata Qimusseruaq, one of the biggest dog-sledding races in the world, but both plans were canceled. Rather, before returning to the United States, they stopped by an American Space Force base.
“I have to say that it is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark in this situation. And it is pressure that we will resist,”
Frederiksen told Danish broadcasters DR and TV2 at the time.
“You cannot make a private visit with official representatives from another country when the acting Greenlandic government has made it very clear that they do not want a visit at this time.”
What are Denmark's legal options to block a US bid for Greenland?
Greenland is self-governing as of 2009, which means that authority for most areas of internal governance lies with the government of Greenland. If there was to be a sale or transfer of sovereignty associated with Greenland, it would require the permission of the government of Greenland, and of Greenland's population, either through consultations or referenda. This means that Greenland really has a veto over that transfer of sovereignty.
Greenland is a constituent part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Denmark cannot sell or cede sovereignty over Greenland as if it were some colonial asset. Under international law, Greenland and all countries with populations seeking to be sovereign – has the right of self-determination. Essentially, this means that to take over or acquire Greenland would require Greenland's consent.
Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, and other Danish leaders have clearly stated there would be no selling of Greenland.