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President Trump has confirmed that he is considering to make a ‘large real estate deal’ by purchasing Greenland from Denmark.
“It’s something we talked about,” he told reporters while heading back to Washington DC from his Bedminster’s golf club in New Jersey.
“Denmark essentially owns it. We’re very good allies with Denmark,” he added. “We protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world … strategically it’s interesting.”
The president further said that even though he’s considering the idea to purchase the autonomous Danish territory, it’s not his topmost priority.
“Essentially it’s a large real estate deal,” he told the reporters. “It’s not number one on the burner, I can tell you that.”
Trump also claimed that keeping Greenland under its control is proving costly for Denmark.
“It’s hurting Denmark very badly because they’re losing almost $700 million a year carrying it,” he said. “So, they carry it at great loss. And strategically for the United States, it would be nice.”
Trump had probably presumed that being an ally of the United States, Denmark wouldn’t dare turn down his proposal. But to his surprise, his proposition received cold greetings from the Scandinavian country as soon as it was revealed.
Officials from both Greenland and Denmark hit back, saying Trump has ‘gone mad,’ and that his idea is ‘ridiculous.’
“Greenland is not for sale,” Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made it clear to Greenland’s national newspaper Sermitsiaq, as reported by NBC.
Expressing her straightforward opinion, she said: “Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously.”
Martin Lidegaard, Denmark’s former foreign minister and senior lawmaker of the Danish Social Liberal Party, called Trump’s idea of purchasing Greenland a ‘grotesque proposal’ which can never become a reality.
Speaking to Reuters, he said: “We are talking about real people and you can’t just sell Greenland like an old colonial power.”
However, despite being clearly told that Greenland was not for sale, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow emphasized that Denmark is a US ally.
“I don’t want to predict an outcome, I’m just saying the president — who knows a thing or two about buying real estate — wants to take a look at a Greenland purchase,” he told Fox News.
Although Trump’s proposal of purchasing the territory inhabiting 56,000 people is being laughed at across the globe, the president seems to be determined.
According to some reports, he will be paying a visit to Denmark in the near future.