Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump tells Danish PM he’s serious about taking over Greenland in ‘fiery’ call that has Danes in ‘crisis mode’

President has wanted the U.S. to obtain Greenland since his first term

Katie Hawkinson
in Washington D.C.
Friday 24 January 2025 18:09 EST
Comments
Donald Trump appears to call son to tell Greenlanders ‘we’ll treat you well’

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

President Donald Trump told Denmark’s prime minister he is serious about taking over Greenland in a “fiery” phone call last week, the Financial Times reports.

Trump and Mette Frederiksen spoke on the phone for 45 minutes last week after the president said he wanted the US to take Greenland, despite officials repeatedly saying it’s not for sale.

The phone call was fiery, the Financial Times reports, with one official with knowledge of the conversation calling it “horrendous”.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned he wants to buy Greenland, despite officials being clear it’s not for sale
President Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned he wants to buy Greenland, despite officials being clear it’s not for sale (REUTERS)

“He was very firm,” another unnamed source told the Financial Times. “It was a cold shower. Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially very dangerous.”

Officials also told the Financial Times Trump was aggressive and confrontational, despite Frederiksen’s offer to increase Greenland-US cooperation on military bases and natural resource exploitation.

The call “utterly freaked out” the Danes, one Danish official told the Financial Times.

“The intent was very clear,” another official told the outlet. “They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode.”

Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, told Fox that Trump has made it clear “the safety and security of Greenland is important to the United States as China and Russia make significant investments throughout the Arctic region”.

Mette Frederiksen has told Trump that Greenland is not for sale
Mette Frederiksen has told Trump that Greenland is not for sale (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“The president is committed to not only protecting US interests in the Arctic but also working with Greenland to ensure mutual prosperity for both nations,” he added.

Trump has been floating the idea of buying or otherwise taking over Greenland, an island home to 56,000 people, since his first term. He refused to rule out the possible use of military force in Greenland when pressed earlier this month during a press conference.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last month.

Why Does Trump Want To Buy Greenland?

Meanwhile, Frederiksen has also said that Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Edege, “has been very, very clear ... there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future”.

Residents aren’t happy, either.

Bilo Chemnitz, who lives in the capital city Nuuk, told The Washington Post: “I don’t trust the guy.”

“I want Greenland to stay like it is,” he added.

“I don’t like the way he talks about Greenland,” resident Ida Abelsen similarly told the Post.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in