Trump jr visits Greenland as father dials up takeover threat
Donald Trump has escalated his push for the US to take over the autonomous region of Greenland, as his eldest son landed on the Arctic island on his father’s private jet.
Trump was asked at a press conference on Wednesday (AEDT) whether he could assure the world he would not use military or economic coercion to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, which is a Danish territory.
Less than a fortnight before he returns to the White House, the US president-elect responded: “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two.
“But I can say this — we need them for economic security.”
His comments came as Donald Trump jr arrived in Greenland on Tuesday (local time) on Trump Force One, saying he was there as a tourist.
“We’ve been talking about going for a while,” he said while walking into the airport in the capital Nuuk.
“I was actually supposed to be here last spring for some of the stuff I do in my free time, but just really excited to be here. Awesome country.”
Trump jr said his father “says hello to everyone in Greenland”.
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Trump Force One touches down in Greenland. Photo: AAP
Trump’s extraordinary statement came as he further outlined an expansionist agenda, less than two weeks before he is sworn into office at the January 20 inauguration in Washington DC.
He reiterated an apparent interest in making Canada into a US state and criticised US spending on Canadian goods and military support for Canada, one of the country’s closest allies.
Trump suggested he would impose tariffs on Denmark if it resisted his offer to buy Greenland, which he said was vital to US national security.
Denmark has said Greenland is not for sale.
Trump also vowed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and repeated his promise to impose significant tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
On Monday, Trump said in a social media post he had heard the people of Greenland were “MAGA”.
“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation.
“We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”
Greenland’s permanent secretary for foreign affairs, Mininnguaq Kleist, said Trump jr had scheduled no meetings with representatives of the Greenlandic government.
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“We have not been briefed on the nature of his program, and therefore this is a private visit,” Kleist said.
A source familiar with the trip told Reuters that Trump jr was planning a one-day visit to shoot video content for a podcast and that he would not meet any government officials or political figures.
The village of Kangaamiut in Greenland, which is the world’s biggest island. Photo: AAP
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of just 57,000, boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth.
But development has been slow, leaving its economy reliant on fishing and annual subsidies from Denmark.
The capital, Nuuk, is closer to New York than the Danish capital, Copenhagen.
“Greenland is open and those who wish to visit us are welcome,” Greenland’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.
President-elect Trump said his son and representatives were going to visit “some of the most magnificent areas and sights”.
Trump also expressed interest in buying Greenland during his 2017-2021 term. He was publicly rebuffed by Greenland and Danish authorities before any talks could take place.
Last week, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, in a New Year speech, stepped up a push for independence from Denmark, breaking it free from “the shackles of colonialism” to shape its own future, although he did not mention the US.
Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenland member of the Danish parliament, said the idea of a US takeover should be firmly rejected.
“I don’t want to be a pawn in Trump’s hot dreams of expanding his empire to include our country,” she wrote.
Two weeks ago, Trump said on Truth Social that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
– with AAP
