Aug. 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump has postponed a trip to Denmark to meet with its prime minister, apparently because the Danish government won’t sell Greenland to the United States.
Trump was scheduled to travel to Copenhagen next month to meet with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Kim Kielsen.
For weeks, it’s been reported that Trump inquired about buying Greenland — a largely autonomous nation technically under Danish ownership — and Denmark’s refusal is at the heart of the canceled September visit.
“Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” Trump tweeted. “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.”
Trump has pursued the buy as “large real estate deal” and said, “strategically it’s interesting.” Experts believe Greenland’s vast natural resources are the primary reason for his interest.
“It’s something we talked about,” Trump said last weekend. “Denmark essentially owns it, we’re very good allies with Denmark.”
Frederiksen told Sermitsiaq, “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland.”
Greenland’s foreign ministry also rejected the idea in a tweet.
“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,” Greenland’s foreign minister said. “We’re open for business, not for sale.”
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were supposed to visit Denmark Queen Margrethe II and conduct bilateral meetings with business leaders.
The Danish Royal House was surprised by Trump’s postponement.
“This has never happened before,” Danish Royal House Director of Communications Lene Balleby told CNN.
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