Greenland, with its Pituffik air base, is strategically essential for the US army and its ballistic missile early-warning system, because the shortest route from Europe to North America runs by way of the island.
Throughout his earlier time period in workplace, Trump in 2019 expressed curiosity in shopping for Greenland, however the proposal was promptly rejected by Denmark in addition to by the island’s personal authorities earlier than any formal discussions may happen.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen because the time labelled Trump’s provide as “absurd”, main him to time period her dismissal of the concept as “nasty” and to subsequently cancel a go to to Copenhagen.
Frederiksen stays in her position of Danish prime minister.
Since 2009 Greenland has held the correct to declare independence from Denmark. The island of some 56,000 inhabitants, which depends on vital finances transfers from Copenhagen every year, has up to now avoided doing so.
Individually on Sunday, Trump threatened to reassert U.S. management over the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of charging extreme charges to make use of the Central American passage and drawing a pointy rebuke from Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino.
