Trump’s Whim of ‘Buying’ Greenland Draws Widespread Criticism
Donald Trump's 'plans' to buy Greenland have received widespread rejection.
US president Donald Trump’s interest in buying the island of Greenland, in the North Atlantic, is being condemned and rebuked by various political groups including the Nordic left and other progressive sections in Greenland and Denmark. It was reported on Thursday that some of the people in Trump’s close circle have revealed his intention to buy Greenland from Denmark. Trump himself confirmed that he has thought about such an acquisition. Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark, is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of north Canada.
Múte B. Egede, President of the ‘Inuit Ataqatigiit’ Party in Greenland has said, “We are not for sale and are not a product. If Trump really thinks, he can only dream. He also shows his distorted view of his fellows.” Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) is a democratic socialist political party, striving to make Greenland an independent state. It is a member of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL) alliance.
“Our country will always be ours. No one else should come and dictate what we should do. On the contrary, we want equal cooperation from the Igaliku Agreement between Greenland, the United States and Denmark,’ he added.
The Communist Party (KP) in Denmark has also condemned the intentions of Donald Trump as imperialist. The party has given a call for protest demonstrations on September 2, on the occasion of Trump’s scheduled visit to Denmark, as part of his Europe trip.
On Sunday, Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, from the Social Democrat Party, who is currently in Greenland for an official visit, told the media that, “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously.”
The possibility for large scale mining in vast areas of Greenland made possible by the rapid melting of the ice cover due to global warming, seems to have increased US interest in the region. The US is also keen to avert Chinese presence on a large scale in the strategically important Arctic region. Since 1943, the US has been operating an air base in Greenland, the Thule Air Base, which is the US Armed Forces’ northernmost installation.
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