Jens-Frederik Nielsen, chairman of the Greenlandic government, says according to the Reuters news agency that US President Donald Trump's desire for ownership of Greenland "has not yet been taken off the table".
- We are not a piece of ice. We are a proud people, says Jens-Frederik Nielsen according to Reuters.
This is a direct response to Trump's comments about Greenland on Thursday night Danish time.
Trump lashed out at the NATO defense alliance in a post on the president's own social media, Truth Social.
And in that connection, Trump mentioned Greenland. The president did not elaborate on why he mentioned Greenland in the post.
- NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again.
- Remember Greenland, the big, poorly managed piece of ice!, Trump wrote.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen adds that diplomatic negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the US are still ongoing. And he does not rule out strengthened cooperation with the US in the future in the field of defense.
On Wednesday, Trump met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte after the US had entered into a temporary ceasefire with Iran.
On Monday evening, Trump held an hour and a half long press conference on Iran, in which he reiterated his desire to take over Greenland.
Here, Trump also criticized NATO for being a so-called paper tiger. This is a Chinese expression that covers a person or institution that appears intimidating on the outside, but is not really that dangerous.
Trump called on the US's European allies to help after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
He also stated that it would be bad for NATO if the European allies did not help keep the strategically important Strait of Hormuz open.
However, the Europeans said no, since it was not a NATO operation and because Trump and his administration have not clearly stated what the purpose of the conflict is.
Trump has been interested in Greenland for several years. He first floated the idea of an American takeover in 2019.
Since then, the matter has come up regularly, but in January this year the conflict flared up in earnest with the US on one side and Greenland and Denmark on the other.
Initially, Trump did not rule out the use of military force. However, he later backed down.
It also led to Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) and Greenland's then-Naalakkersuisoq for Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt, travelling to the United States to discuss the matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President J.D. Vance.
/ritzau/
