PM Mute Egede To Trump: Greenland Not Sold

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Mute Egede insists Greenland is not for sale. Egede responded to a statement by US elected president Donald Trump who wanted to buy Greenland.

Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be sold. We must not lose our long struggle to achieve freedom," said Mute Egede.

Trump on Sunday announced he chose Ken Howery, a former envoy to Sweden, as ambassador to Copenhagen. Trump commented on Greenland's status, Denmark's semi-autonomous part and hosts for the US Air Force's major base.

For the sake of National Security and Freedom Goals around the world, the United States feels that ownership and control over Greenland is an absolute necessity, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump, who took office on January 20, did not elaborate on the statement.

The Danish government could not be reached for comment.

Greenland, with Pituffik airbases, is strategically important to the US military and its ballistic missile early warning system, as the shortest route from Europe to North America passes through the island.

During his previous term of office, Trump in 2019 expressed interest in buying Greenland.

However, the proposal was immediately rejected by Denmark and by the authorities on the island before formal discussions could be made.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the time called Trump's offer "absurd".

Since 2009 Greenland has the right to declare independence from Denmark. The island of about 56,000 people, which relies on significant budget transfers from Copenhagen each year, is still refraining from doing so.