Mute Egede, known also as the Premier of Greenland, has responded to claims from the US President that he would take the country ‘one way or another’, while incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has also shared his opinion on the comments.
When speaking in a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told the press that the country needed Greenland for ‘international security’.
He claimed: “Well I think it will happen, I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought – but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental.
“You know Mark, we need it for international security, not just security, but international.”
However, Rutte replied: “When it comes to Greenland, I don’t want to drag NATO into that,” adding that his focus is on the Arctic and that ‘certain Arctic countries working together on this under US leadership’ is key.
Earlier this month, Trump also told Congress: “We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.
“We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.”
He then highlighted: “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 seems set on taking Greenland (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Reluctance has come from Greenland and Denmark, the latter of which Greenland is an autonomous territory under.
The incoming Greenland Premier, Jans-Frederik Nielsen, has now released a firm statement about the American President’s claims, saying: “Trump’s statement from the US is inappropriate and just shows once again that we must stand together in such situations.”
Nielsen’s Demokraatit party won Greenland’s parliamentary election on Tuesday (11 March).
In his victory speech, he powerfully claimed: “We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes.
“We want to be Greenlanders, and we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves.”
Current leader Mute Egede echoed these sentiments, saying ‘Kalaallit Nunaat is ours’ (Kalaallit Nunaat is the Greenlanders’ name for their country), explaining: “We don’t want to be Americans, nor Danes; We are Kalaallit. The Americans and their leader must understand that.
“We are not for sale and cannot simply be taken. Our future will be decided by us in Greenland.”
Incoming Greenland Prime Minister Jans-Frederik Nielsen didn’t hold back when addressing Trump’s comments (MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)
Egede would later add: “The U.S. president has once again aired the thought of annexing us.
“Enough is enough.”
He also said in a statement that Trump hasn’t showed Greenlanders ‘respect’ since taking office, even claiming: “The recent things that the American president has done mean that you don’t want to get as close to (the US) as you might have wanted in the past.”
Greenland have widely remained against an annexation throughout Trump’s plan to take the nation of 56,000 over.
