‘Don’t want to be Americans or Danes’: Greenland PM rejects Trump’s proposal

"We do not want to be Americans, nor Danes," wrote Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede in a social media post.

By: Express Web Desk
Updated: March 5, 2025 11:27 PM IST

3 min read

'We need it really for international world security,' Trump had said speaking about Greenland. (Photos: AP/ Wikimedia Commons)

Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede has rejected US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the United States will acquire the territory, stating, “We are not for sale.” Egede made the statement following Trump’s address to Congress, where the he claimed that his administration was working to secure Greenland “one way or another.”

The prime minister responded in a Facebook post, stressing on Greenland’s sovereignty and self-determination.

What else did Egede say?

“We do not want to be Americans, nor Danes. We are Kalaallit (Greenlanders). The Americans and their leader must understand that,” Egede wrote on Facebook. “Our future is determined by us in Greenland.”

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has long been of strategic interest to the United States due to its location and natural resources. Trump’s remarks have reignited concerns among Greenlanders, particularly as the island prepares for its parliamentary elections on March 11.

Trump insists US needs Greenland

In his speech, Trump directly addressed Greenlanders, saying as per AP, “We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.” However, he also made clear his administration’s intention to secure control over the territory.

“We need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” Trump added.

Also Read: | In his Congress address, Trump reiterates his vision for an isolationist America and here’s what he has in mind

Comments from Danish officials

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen downplayed Trump’s acquisition claims but acknowledged the significance of his reference to Greenland’s right to self-determination. “That, I think, was the most important part of that speech,” Rasmussen said during a press conference in Helsinki, as per AP.

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Opinion polls suggest that while most Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the United States, many support eventual independence from Denmark, reported Reuters.

The Danish government has reaffirmed that Greenland’s future is for its people to decide.

(With inputs from AP and Reuters)

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