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Greenland leaders, Arctic expert weigh in on Trump threat

Greenland is outlined with a red dotted line. (Google Maps)

COPENHAGEN – United States President-Elect Donald Trump has said America needs Greenland for “national security purposes,” but Greenland’s leaders said the massive Arctic island is not for sale.

Aaja Chemnitz, one of two Greenlandic politicians in the Danish government, spoke with Youth Journalism International on Friday. She represents Inuit Ataqatigiit Kattuffiat, which is the majority party in Greenland.

Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish Parliament. (Official Danish Parliament photo)

Chemnitz said the end goal over time is for Greenland – a semi-autonomous island that is part of Denmark – to become independent.

There isn’t a route to independence through the U.S., Chemnitz said.

Instead, the future is to collaborate more with the EU and Denmark, she said.

Her statements aligned with those of Greenland’s prime minister, who issued remarks on January 14.

Prime Minister Múte Egede (Photo from the government of Greenland)

“Greenland is not for sale. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. And that will not change, neither now or in the future,” said Prime Minister Múte Egede in a news release.

But at a January 7 press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump – who takes office January 20 – said he wouldn’t rule out using force to take possession of Greenland for “national security” purposes. He also claimed people don’t even know if Denmark has the legal right to it.

In an email exchange with Youth Journalism International, Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, an expert on Arctic security matters, discussed the potential threat against Greenland.

Rahbek-Clemmensen is an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College. He is head of field at the Center for Arctic Security Studies and head of the strategy section, Department of Strategy and War Studies.

He said it wouldn’t make any sense for the U.S. to use physical force against Greenland and thinks is it highly unlikely that it would happen. Denmark is a close ally of the U.S. and needs that friendship for the coming competition with China and Russia, Rahbek-Clemmensen said.

But is it possible for Trump to gain anything with Greenland?

“It is not possible to buy Greenland from Denmark, because as the Danish government has stated on several occasions, Greenland is not Denmark’s to sell,” Rahbek-Clemmensen said.

Denmark gives $750 million to a billion dollars a year to Greenland, Rahbek-Clemmensen said.

Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen (Photo from the Royal Danish Defence College)

“It is possible for Trump to strike a deal with Greenland, whereby Greenland could get a closer relationship to the U.S., but it would entail Trump giving the Greenlanders an offer that is better than what they are currently getting from Denmark,” said Rahbek-Clemmensen.

Politiken, which is a leading broadsheet newspaper in Denmark, has reported that American influencers are giving $100 and a “Make America Great Again” hat to young people and children in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.

“Make America Great Again,” also known as MAGA, is a well-known Trump campaign slogan.

Noah Haynes is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.

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