Greenland hits back at Trump comments on territory

Greenland's prime minister has stressed that decisions about the autonomous territory's future would be made on the island, after US President Donald Trump reiterated that the United States needed Greenland for "national security". US President Donald Trump has advocated for Greenland to become part of the United States Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry with US President Donald Trump "Greenland is our country. Our decisions are made here," Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post. Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has repeatedly said the United States "needs" the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it. On Sunday, Mr Trump appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, prompting anger from Denmark, which summoned the US ambassador. "We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals," Mr Trump told a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, yesterday. "We have to have it," the president said, adding that Mr Landry "wanted to lead the charge". Watch: Trump says US has to have Greenland On his appointment, Mr Landry immediately vowed to make the Danish territory "a part of the US". In his post, Mr Nielsen said he was "sad" after hearing Mr Trump's renewed desire to take over Greenland. "Such words reduce our country to a question of security and power. That is not how we see ourselves, and that is not how we in Greenland can or should be described," Mr Nielsen said. He also thanked the people of Greenland for facing the situation with "calm and dignity," and said he was also thankful for the support of other government leaders. "This support confirms that we are not alone here at home," he said. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said yesterday he was "deeply angered" by the move and warned Washington to respect Denmark's sovereignty. The European Union also offered its "full solidarity" to Denmark. Greenland "belongs to its people", French President Emmanuel Macron said today. "I add my voice to that of the Europeans to express our full solidarity," he wrote on X. Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, has the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement but remains heavily reliant on fishing and Danish subsidies. Its strategic position ⁠between Europe and North America makes it a key site for the US ballistic missile defence system, while its mineral wealth has heightened US interest in reducing reliance on Chinese exports. Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly insisted that the vast island is not for sale and that it will decide its own future. Most of Greenland's population want to become independent from Denmark but do not wish to become part of the United States, according to an opinion poll in January. In August, Denmark summoned the US charge d'affaires after at least three US officials close to Mr Trump were seen in Greenland's capital Nuuk trying to find out how people felt about deepening US...

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