Foreign Minister Blinken Says Trump's Desire To Take Over Greenland Is Not A Good Idea

US Foreign Minister Blinken gave a press statement. (Wikimedia Commons/US Department of State)

JAKARTA - United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed President-elect Donald Trump's interest in taking over Greenland, saying it was "clearly not a good idea" and would not have happened.

Trump on Tuesday reiterated his interest in taking over Greenland, Denmark's autonomous region, and declined to rule out the use of force to take over the vast Arctic island.

"I think one of the basic propositions we have brought to our work over the past four years is that we are stronger, we are more effective, we get better results when we work with our allies, don't say or do things that can isolate them," Foreign Minister Blinken said.

Trump, a Republican politician, said Uncle Sam's country needed Greenland for national security reasons.

"The idea expressed about Greenland is definitely not a good idea, but maybe more importantly, the idea is clearly not going to happen, so we may not have to waste much time talking about it," Foreign Minister Blinken explained.

Earlier, Danish Foreign Minister said on Wednesday, Greenland might be independent if its residents wanted it, but it was unlikely to become a US state.

Meanwhile, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede has declared the island not for sale and in his New Year's address, he called for independence.

Trump, who will take office on January 20, has signaled he will implement an overseas policy unbound by diplomatic pleasantries, also refusing to rule out military or economic action as part of his expressed desire for the US to take control of the Panama Canal and express the idea of turning Canada into a US state.

In 2019, Trump postponed a visit scheduled for Denmark after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected his idea of a purchase of Greenland by the US, which is a Danish colony until 1953 and is now a semi-cultural region under Denmark.

Greenland, part of NATO through Denmark membership, has strategic significance for the US military and its ballistic missile early warning system, as the shortest route from Europe to North America passes through the Arctic island.

Separately, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said leaders in Canada, Greenland and Panama had explained what they were thinking about Trump's ideas and the Biden Administration concentrating on other issues.

"I think it's pretty clear what their views on some of these policy statements are, but it's not appropriate for us to consider and give an assessment," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"We remain focused on issues that we believe are the core of our national security," Kirby said.