Trump Sr. demanded US ownership of Greenland. Trump Jr. is now expected to visit

Trump Sr. demanded US ownership of Greenland. Trump Jr. is now expected to visit



CNN

Donald Trump Jr. is expected to visit Greenland on Tuesday, just weeks after his father, US President-elect Donald Trump, caused anger by reiterating his desire to take control of the autonomous Danish territory.

In a Truth Social post on Monday, the president-elect confirmed that his son would be traveling to the island along with “various representatives” to “visit some of the greatest areas and sights,” reiterating his interest in taking over the massive one arctic territory.

“I hear the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA,'” he said in the post, referring to his slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

“Greenland is an incredible place and people will benefit enormously from it if and when it becomes part of our nation. We will protect and cherish it from a very malevolent outside world. Make Greenland great again!” he posted.

Earlier on Monday, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry told CNN that it had “noted” the trip but would not comment further because it was “not an official American visit.”

The ministry’s comments came after Reuters reported that the island’s permanent foreign minister, Mininnguaq Kleist, said the trip was a “private visit.” It also quoted a source as saying the trip was a one-day visit to film video footage for a podcast.

CNN has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.

The US president-elect made headlines last month when he reiterated his desire to preserve the territory, calling it an “absolute necessity” for “national security and freedom purposes around the world.”

He had previously floated the idea of ​​buying Greenland from Denmark during his first term as president, but the idea was rejected by the island’s government, which said at the time that it was “not for sale.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede responded to the U.S. president-elect’s comments on Facebook in December by reiterating that the island “is not for sale and will never be for sale,” while the office of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen – who first met Trump called – was not for sale The suggestion that Greenland could be bought is “absurd” – reiterated Egede.

“As for statements regarding Greenland, the Prime Minister’s Office has no comments other than a reference to the Greenland Prime Minister’s statement that Greenland is not for sale but is open to cooperation,” the office added.

Trump is not the first American leader to express interest in controlling Greenland, home to Thule Air Base, the U.S. military’s northernmost base located about 750 miles above the Arctic Circle and built in 1951.

Although President Harry Truman dodged questions about his desire for control in the region, the United States reportedly attempted to purchase Greenland in 1946, and in 1867 Secretary of State William Seward expressed interest in purchasing the island.

According to Reuters, Greenland’s prime minister doubled down on his call for independence from Denmark in his recent New Year’s address, saying the country should free itself from “the shackles of colonialism.”

However, Egede did not mention the United States.

Additional reporting by Steve Contorno, Katherine Sullivan, Pamela Brown, Jim Acosta and Caroline Kelly

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