Donald Trump Jr. is set to visit Greenland in a one-day private trip, following his father’s reiterated interest in U.S. sovereignty over the territory. The visit comes just two weeks after Donald Trump emphasized the importance of controlling Greenland for U.S. national security.
Reports indicate that Trump Jr. will be documenting his experience for a podcast, marking a personal yet significant engagement with the strategically important Arctic island, which sits on the vital route from North America to Europe and houses a major U.S. space facility.
Previously, Donald Trump had expressed intentions to purchase Greenland during his presidency, a proposal that was firmly rejected by Greenland’s leaders. “We are not for sale and we will not be for sale,” affirmed Prime Minister Mute Egede, underscoring that “Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.”
In recent developments, the Danish government announced a significant increase in defense spending for Greenland, coinciding with Trump’s comments, a move described by Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen as “an irony of fate.” Further, Denmark’s King Frederik X recently updated the royal coat of arms to feature Greenland and the Faroe Islands more prominently, a design change interpreted by some as a direct response to Trump’s remarks.
King Frederik, addressing national unity, stated the Kingdom of Denmark was united “all the way to Greenland.” In contrast, Greenland’s Prime Minister advocated for independence from Denmark in his New Year’s address, referring to the island’s goal to shed “the shackles of colonialism.”
The concept of purchasing Greenland is not new; it was first proposed by U.S. President Andrew Johnson in the 1860s. Meanwhile, Trump has also raised eyebrows with recent comments threatening to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal, prompting a firm response from Panama’s president, who asserted that “every square metre” of the canal belongs to his nation.
