Updated Dec 23, 2024 - Business

Greenland's leader tells Trump: "We are not for sale"

Rebecca Falconer

President-elect Donald Trump looks on during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 22, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. — President-elect Trump at a Phoenix, Arizona, event on Sunday. Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

Greenland's leader on Monday responded to President-elect Trump suggesting the U.S. should take ownership of the autonomous territory that's part of the kingdom of Denmark by making clear it's not for sale.

What they're saying: "Greenland is ours," Prime Minister Múte Egede said on Facebook. "We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our years-long struggle for freedom. However, we must continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours."

The big picture: Trump said in announcing PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as his choice for United States ambassador to Denmark on Sunday, "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."

He did not elaborate further on his intentions for the world's largest island that's not a continent after he takes office on Jan. 20, and his representatives did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on Sunday or Monday evening.

Flashback: Trump expressed interest in buying Greenland during his first term as president, but Danish officials made clear it was not for sale.

Go deeper: Trump demands return of Panama Canal if rates aren't cut

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

Add Axios on Google

Greenland's leader tells Trump: "We are not for sale"

What to read next