We Don’t Want To Be Americans, Say Greenland’s Political Parties

Political parties in Greenland have firmly rejected renewed suggestions by United States President Donald Trump to seize the Arctic island, declaring that they do not want to become Americans.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” leaders of five parties in Greenland’s parliament said in a joint statement late Friday. They stressed that “the future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”

The reaction followed comments by Trump in which he repeated that Washington was “going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not,” including the possibility of using force.

Greenland is an autonomous territory under Denmark and is rich in critical minerals. The United States already maintains a military base on the island.

Trump argued that US control of Greenland was vital for national security, citing increased military activity by Russia and China in the Arctic.

“We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland. That’s what they’re going to do if we don’t. So we’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way,” he said on Friday.

While Russia and China have stepped up their presence in the Arctic in recent years, neither country has laid claim to Greenland.

Denmark and several European allies have expressed shock at Trump’s remarks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any invasion of Greenland would end “everything,” referring to the transatlantic NATO defence pact and the post-World War II security order.

Trump, however, downplayed Denmark’s concerns, despite the country being a long-standing US ally.

“I’m a fan of Denmark, too, I have to tell you. And you know, they’ve been very nice to me,” he said.

“But you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the land.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet next week with Denmark’s foreign minister and representatives from Greenland amid rising diplomatic tension over the issue.