President Donald Trump had a fiery telephone call with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that lasted for around 45 minutes last week. Financial Times reported that the call was horrendous as Trump was very firm on what he wants. “He was very firm. It was a cold shower, Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially very dangerous,” one official was quoted by FT as saying. The conversation overall was very bad, they said.
“The intent was very clear. They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode,” said one person briefed on the call. Another said: “The Danes are utterly freaked out by this.”
A former Danish official told Financial Times: “It was a very tough conversation. He threatened specific measures against Denmark such as targeted tariffs.”
FT reached out to the Danish prime minister’s office which refused to “recognize the interpretation of the conversation given by anonymous sources”.
Trump’s first statement on Greenland after becoming the president
Trump made his intent clear about Greenland, Panama and Canada after his election win. On his first day in the office, he said Denmark will come along on a potential sale of Greenland to the US. “Greenland is a wonderful place. We need fair, international security, and I am sure that Denmark will come along. I think — it’s costing them a lot of money to maintain it, to keep it,” Trump said.
Greenland is an autonomous territory controlled by Denmark with a population of more than 56,000.
“The people of Greenland are not happy with Denmark, you know. I think they are happy with us. We had representatives, my son and representatives went up there two weeks ago and they like us so we will see what happens, but Greenland is necessary, not for us, it’s necessary for international security,” Trump said.
What the Greenland PM said
Greenland’s prime minister Mute Egede said Greenlanders don’t want to become Americans. We don’t want to be Danish either. Greenland’s future will be decided by Greenland. Our country and our people will decide what happens to Greenland,” the PM said adding that they are open to talks with Washington to safeguard US interests in the Arctic.
