Washington - President Donald
Trump declared Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's
dismissal of his idea to buy Greenland "nasty" and an affront to
the United States on Wednesday, a day after shocking Danes by
canceling a Copenhagen visit over the rebuff.
Danes voiced disbelief at Trump's decision to forgo the
trip, although Frederiksen said she believed relations with the
United States, a NATO ally, would not be affected.
Trump, who built his career as a businessman dealing in real
estate, had mused openly in recent days about a U.S. purchase of
Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory rich in natural
resources, raising eyebrows in Europe and in the United States.
Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called it
"an April Fool's Day joke" and Frederiksen called the idea
"absurd."
The latter comment set off Trump, who often becomes riled up
by criticism, real or perceived. He announced the cancellation
of his planned Sept 2-3 trip to Denmark in a tweet late on
Tuesday.
"I thought that the prime minister's statement ... was
nasty. I thought it was an inappropriate statement. All she had
to do is say: 'No, we wouldn’t be interested,'" Trump told
reporters at the White House on Wednesday. "She's not talking to
me. She's talking to the United States of America. You don’t
talk to the United States that way, at least under me."
Frederiksen, a centre-left Social Democrat, said she learned
of Trump's decision "with regret and surprise", given Denmark's
strong relations with Washington, but she repeated her
opposition to any Greenland transaction.
She stressed that Greenland's premier, Kim Kielsen, had
ruled out selling off the territory and "I obviously agree with
him."
But Frederiksen said the United States remained one of
Denmark's closest allies. "I don't think the cancelling of this
state visit should affect any decisions we make whether it is on
commercial cooperation or foreign and security policies."
Trump's decision elicited condemnation, outrage and mockery
alike among Danish opposition leaders and the public.
"So (Trump) has cancelled his visit to Denmark because there
was no interest in discussing selling Greenland. Is this some
sort of joke? Deeply insulting to the people of Greenland and
Denmark," tweeted former Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt.
"Total chaos with @realDonaldTrump and cancellation of state
visit to Denmark. It has gone from a big opportunity for
strengthened dialogue between allies to a diplomatic crisis,"
said former Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen of the Liberal
Party.
'NOT FOR SALE'
Greenland, which is gaining attention from world powers
including China, Russia and the United States because of its
strategic location and mineral wealth, is self-governing but
underdeveloped and relies on Denmark for economic support.
"Everyone should know Greenland is not for sale," Jensen
said of the world's largest island, where the United States has
a military presence at the Thule Air Base under a U.S.-Danish
treaty dating to 1951.
"(Trump's cancellation) is very, very shocking, when it is
about a very close ally and a good friend," said Soren Espersen
of the hard-right Danish People's Party.
He said Trump had effectively snubbed Queen Margrethe,
Denmark's head of state. Trump and U.S. first lady Melania Trump
were formally invited to Denmark by the queen in July.
"It shows why we now more than ever should consider (fellow)
European Union countries as our closest allies. The man is
unpredictable," said Morten Ostergaard, leader of the Danish
Social Liberal Party. "Reality surpasses imagination."
Trump, whose "America First" policies have resulted in
strained relations with the EU over trade and other issues, said
on Sunday a U.S. purchase of Greenland would be "a large real
estate deal."
The two countries appeared to be taking steps to address
tensions over the dispute.
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a Twitter post
that he had a "frank, friendly and constructive talk" with
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and declared the countries "close
friends and allies."
The State Department said Pompeo expressed thanks for
Denmark's cooperation as an ally. "The Secretary and Foreign
Minister Kofod also discussed strengthening cooperation with the
Kingdom of Denmark – including Greenland – in the Arctic," it
said in a statement.
Trump said he would go to Denmark another time.
"Greenland was just an idea, just a thought. But I think
when they say it was 'absurd' and it was said in a very nasty,
very sarcastic way, I said, 'We'll make it some other time.'
We'll go to Denmark - I love Denmark. I've been to Denmark.
And, frankly, we'll do it another time. Respect has to be shown
to the United States," he told reporters.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former NATO secretary general and
Danish premier, said Trump's cancellation could work out for the
best. "The Arctic's security and environmental challenges are
too important to be considered alongside hopeless discussions
like the sale of Greenland," he said on Twitter.