According to a senior administration official, President Donald Trump is eager to proceed swiftly and may make a move regarding Greenland in the coming weeks or months.
Thomas Dans, America’s Arctic commissioner, a key advocate for Trump’s interest in Greenland, stated that the President is determined to pursue his idea. Dans, who has been involved in this matter since 2020, mentioned that progress might be visible soon, although any potential acquisition would require more time to finalize.
“There are various stages to this process,” Dans told USA TODAY. “It could progress rapidly, bypassing certain steps and heading straight to the ultimate goal. That’s the pace at which President Trump aims to operate, at high speed.”
Dans emphasized the importance of gaining the support of Greenland’s population. Polls indicate that while most of Greenland’s 57,000 residents aspire to eventually break away from Denmark, the majority are against Greenland becoming the 51st state of the US. Both Denmark and Greenland have affirmed that the island is not up for sale.
In response to the discussions about the US potentially taking over a NATO ally, a senior Greenland government official expressed disbelief and urged the Trump administration to heed the voices of the island’s people. Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister for business and mineral resources, highlighted the significant concerns among the territory’s inhabitants regarding the US administration’s interest in controlling the island.
Ahead of a critical meeting in Washington involving foreign ministers from Greenland, Denmark, and top US officials, Nathanielsen conveyed the anxieties prevailing among the population. She stressed the confusion and fear felt by the people, especially the children, due to the ongoing developments.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland at the White House to discuss Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland. This meeting, although not officially announced yet, has been confirmed by a US official and two anonymous sources familiar with the plans.
Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen disclosed that Vance would convene a meeting with him and Greenland’s counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt in Washington, with Rubio also in attendance.
During a press conference in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated that Greenland is not for sale and does not wish to be under US ownership or rule.
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