Trump puts freeze on Denmark trip after cold shoulder on Greenland deal
The Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York on President Trump’s interest in buying Greenland.
No deal? No meeting – no problem.
That’s what President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday night, announcing he’d delay talks with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Since she has “no interest” in chatting about a possible sale of Greenland to the U.S., the president feels the expense isn’t worth the cost to taxpayers.
“I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” he explained, “the prime minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!”
Frederiksen told reporters Monday Trump’s proposal was “absurd,” explaining the world’s largest island, a Danish territory, “is not for sale.”
“Greenland will not be sold. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant.”
Trump posted a tweet Monday night promising his followers he wouldn’t be building a hotel on the island.
Government officials told Fox Business last week the country wasn’t for sale, though left the possibility of a greater U.S. investment in the country.
“Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism. We’re open for business, not for sale,” Greenland’s foreign ministry wrote on Twitter.
President Harry Truman was also turned down by the Danes in 1946. He offered $100 million for the island.
A report published last week claimed Trump was speaking to aides about a possible purchase, causing the news to go viral.