Greenland’s political parties declare jointly: We don’t want to be Americans

Greenland’s political parties have declared “We don’t want to be Americans” after US President Donald Trump again threatened to use force to take control of the mineral-rich, self-governing Danish island.

The statement was issued late Friday after Trump reiterated that Washington “will do something about Greenland, whether they like it or not”.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlandic,” the leaders of the five parties in the local parliament said in a joint statement late Friday.

They added, “The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlanders”.

Denmark and its European allies expressed shock at Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland, where there is an US military base.

Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that he intends to reach an agreement with Denmark to acquire Greenland, and will achieve his goal “by any means necessary,” after Copenhagen reiterated that its Arctic territory is not for sale.

“I also admire Denmark, and I must tell you they have been very kind to me,” the US president told reporters at the White House.

He added, “But as you know, just because they arrived there by ship 500 years ago doesn’t mean they own the territory”.

He continued, “I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way… But if we don’t do it gently, we will do it hard”.

Trump says that controlling this strategic island is crucial to US national security given the escalating military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic Circle.

The US president said on Friday, “We cannot allow Russia or China to occupy Greenland… That is what they will do if we don’t… So we will take some action on Greenland, whether it’s the easy way. But if we don’t do it softly, we will do it hard”.

Both Russia and China have stepped up their military activity in the region in recent years, but neither has claimed sovereignty over this vast icy island.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that an invasion of Greenland would end everything, referring to NATO and the security architecture established after World War II.

Trump dismissed the concerns of Denmark, a staunch US ally that joined the US in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Trump said, “I also like Denmark, and I must tell you that they have been very kind to me”.

He added, “But as you know, their arrival there by ship 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the territory”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet next week with the Danish Foreign Minister and representatives from Greenland.