Trump And Nato Have Not Discussed A Greenland Deal, Island's PM Says
Greenland’s prime minister has dismissed Donald Trump’s claims that he and Nato had discussed a deal over the Arctic island’s sovereignty.
The US president backed down over his demands to “control” the semi-autonomous Danish territory two weeks ago, claiming a “framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland” was on the table.
But Jens-Frederik Nielsen poured cold water on his Nato remarks last night.
Speaking to Piers Morgan Uncensored, he said: “It’s not my understanding that they’ve discussed a deal.”
However, he added: “We do agree on, we need to do more in a Nato frame in terms of security.
“They will talk about something that maybe could be a deal in some way but we have also said and emphasised we have some really important red lines from our side.”
Details about any Nato arrangement over the island remain unclear, although some reports claim Denmark could cede sovereignty over small parts of Greenland to allow America to build military bases.
Yet Nielsen said: “We have a clear red line, in terms of our borders, our integrity as a country, if somebody wants to push on those we can say that’s a clear red line for us. We are not giving an inch. We will never cede any sovereignty.”
Trump previously suggested paying the islanders or even using US military force to invade the territory last month.
He insisted the island was essential to America’s security amid growing threats from China and Russia within the Arctic Circle.
But his aggression sparked major backlash among Nato allies and European leaders – including British prime minister Keir Starmer – made it clear the territory’s future was up to Greenland and Denmark alone.
Trump furiously threatened to slap 10% import tariffs on the countries which did not allow the US to take over Greenland up until he struck his “framework of a future deal” with Nato chief Mark Rutte.
Nielsen rejected the idea of taking any payment from the US too, saying: “Our right to self-determination is not something we would want to gamble on. I think it’s outrageous if you think you can buy the Greenlandic people.”
The PM also criticised the White House after it circulated a meme of Trump holding the hand of a penguin through a snowy landscape, implied to be Greenland.
Nielsen said he thought they should stop promoting such images, adding: “We don’t have one single penguin in Greenland! I think it shows a lack of knowledge about Greenland, about Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic society... I think it’s unfortunate. When you keep mocking my people... I think it’s insulting.”
Watch the full interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, YouTube.