‘Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,’ says the prime minister of the Danish territory. Canada once ‘fought’ a pseudo-war over a nearby island
President-elect Donald Trump is repeating a call he made during his first term — for the U.S. to buy Greenland.
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He has even invited his social media followers to express their support for the idea via a poll posted to his account on Wednesday. Here’s everything you need to know about who owns Greenland, Trump’s pitch and how Canada fits into the equation.
How long has Greenland been on Trump’s radar?
Who owns Greenland?
Greenland was returned to Denmark at the end of the war. It became an official part of the kingdom of Denmark in 1953, though home rule was introduced for the 56,000 inhabitants in 1979, which included the establishment of its own parliament.
And according to a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenland must hold a successful referendum before declaring independence.
How does Denmark feel about Trump’s desire to buy Greenland?
In an interview on Danish television, Frederiksen said it “has been very, very clear … there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either.”
How serious is Trump about Greenland?
Still, after Trump Jr. arrived in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city, his father promoted the visit on Truth Social: “Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Tuesday.
Is this the first time the U.S. tried to buy Greenland?
The U.S. has made previous offers. In 1910, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Maurice Francis Egan proposed a trade of two Philippine islands and the Danish West Indies for Greenland. At the time, the Philippines were under U.S. control. The U.S. secured the purchase of the Caribbean islands in 1917. They are now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands. But the Danish answer regarding Greenland was the same then as it is today: Not for sale.
In 1946, President Harry Truman made another offer — $100 million in gold bullion. In the wake of the close of the Second World War, Truman (like Trump) cited security concerns. But again the answer was: No.
Greenland has hosted an important U.S. military base since the war. It is now the site of an early warning ballistic missile system. A large military operation, the Pituffik Space Base, is run by the U.S. Space Command.
What is Canada’s relationship with Greenland’s owner?
According to the Canadian department of Global Affairs: “Denmark is a close, like-minded partner for Canada across a range of priority issues, including security and defence, trade and investment, climate change, cooperation in the Arctic, development and human rights.”
Did Canada and Denmark fight over an island?
Relations between the two nations were not always completely amicable. A dispute over a small island that lays between Canada and Greenland goes back to the 1800s.
What was the Canadian-Danish ‘Whiskey War’?
In 1973, the two countries entered discussions to establish the boundary between them. They signed a UN agreement that drew a line down the middle of Hans Island.
However, the property dispute continued despite it. A pseudo-war known as the “Whiskey War” began in 1984 when Canadian soldiers landed on the island, planted a Canadian flag and left a bottle of Canadian (rye) whiskey beside it.
In response, Denmark’s minister responsible for Greenland affairs made a visit, too, planting the Danish flag and leaving a bottle of schnapps with a note: “Welcome to the Danish Island.”
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