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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Donald Trump that it is up to Greenland to decide its future.
The US president-elect sparked riots in Copenhagen and Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, last week when he announced that the US wanted to acquire the huge Arctic island, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
In a 45-minute phone call on Wednesday, Frederiksen told Trump that Denmark was ready to step up its responsibility for Arctic security.
He also repeated the statements of the Prime Minister of Greenland, Mute Egede, who recently said that Greenland was not for sale.
Trump did not publicly react to the call. However, he reposted a 2019 poll on the TruthSocial account that found 68% of Greenlanders supported independence from Denmark.
A referendum on independence is believed to be on the way and Denmark has said it will respect any outcome.
When he was last president, Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. When Frederiksen considered the proposal “absurd”, he suddenly canceled his trip to Denmark.
The Danish government said Frederiksen also emphasized in his phone call with Trump that “Danish companies contribute to US growth and jobs, and that the EU and the US have a common interest in strengthening trade.”
Last week, Trump threatened Denmark with high tariffs if the country did not give up Greenland.
The suggestion set off alarm bells among Danish industry leaders, as the US is Denmark’s second largest export market and any targeted tariffs would have a significant impact on the Danish economy.
On Thursday, Frederiksen held what Danish media called a “crisis meeting” with businessmen, including the CEOs of beer giant Carlsberg and drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which makes popular obesity and diabetes drugs in the US.
He will also organize an unusual Foreign Policy Council meeting with members of parliament.
Greenland MP Aaja Chemnitz said she was happy with Frederiksen’s line, because any decision about Greenland should be made by Greenlanders.
“I have a lot of confidence in the role of the prime minister, and I also have a lot of confidence in Egede. I think it is important to have a close dialogue,” he said.
Earlier this week, Egede said his government was ready to start a dialogue with the incoming Trump administration.
But opposition MP Rasmus Jarlov said he disapproved of Frederiksen’s approach.
Writing to X, he said: “It is completely unacceptable that (Frederiksen) renounces Denmark’s rights in Greenland and places sovereignty only with (Greenlandic) self-government when he talks to the US president.”
Trump’s comments and his son’s visit to Greenland last week caused considerable concern in Denmark. Faced with the prospect of angering what he has repeatedly called “Denmark’s closest ally”, Frederiksen measured his words as he insisted on Greenland’s right to self-determination.
TV2 political editor Hans Redder said Trump’s 45 minutes for a phone call with Frederiksen indicated that “this Greenland thing is really something that’s on Trump’s mind, it’s not a passing thought.”
