Denmark's leader has called on the country's business chiefs to meet after President-elect Donald Trump said he wanted to take control of Greenland.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen scheduled the meeting for Thursday, Reuters reported.
Newsweek has contacted the Trump-Vance transition team via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump has threatened to take control of Greenland with military force or economic action, declaring the autonomous territory of Denmark an "absolute necessity."
Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Egede has insisted it is "not for sale" and Frederiksen called the idea "absurd" in 2019, when Trump made the suggestion during his first term.
What To Know
Frederiksen reportedly spoke to Trump in a 45-minute phone call on Wednesday, during which she stressed that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the U.S.
Drugmaker Novo Nordisk, brewer Carlsberg, toymaker LEGO, jewelry maker Pandora and wind turbine maker Vestas are all Danish companies. She also told Trump that Greenland would be the one to decide its future.
After Frederiksen's conversation with Trump, Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called a meeting for members of the foreign policy committee, per Reuters.
Denmark's Minister for Trade and Industry Morten Bodskov said in a statement: "It's important that we have a good and constructive dialogue with the Danish business community. In a time of geopolitical tensions, we must seek dialogue and cooperation."
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social in December: "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."
Egede said at a Sunday press conference: "The reality is we are going to work with the U.S.—yesterday, today and tomorrow. We have to be very smart on how we act. The power struggles between the superpowers are rising and are now knocking on our door."
Earlier, he said at a Friday press conference: "Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic."
Christopher A. Cooper, a political scientist professor at Western Carolina University, told Newsweek: "Perhaps Trump thinks it's a bargaining ploy. Perhaps Trump likes the attention. Perhaps he doesn't think through the consequences of his rhetoric. Perhaps all three. Regardless of the rationale, the consequences of this kind of rhetoric is potentially catastrophic for the world order." Newsweek has contacted the Trump-Vance transition team, via email, for a response to this.
Why Does Trump Want Greenland?
Greenland is strategically important for the U.S. military and its ballistic missile early-warning system as the island is on the shortest route from Europe to North America.
It also comes at a time when Trump has signaled a strong "America First" approach to trade and foreign policy for his second term, pushing for rebalanced deals on U.S. foreign financial commitments.
The U.S. has previously made inquiries about buying Greenland. In 1867, a report from the State Department said that the island's location and natural resources would make it an ideal acquisition.
President Harry Truman offered to purchase Greenland from Denmark in 1946 for $100 million in gold.
In the 1970s, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller also discussed buying Greenland for its mineral resources, according to The Washington Post.
What Happens Next
On Monday, GOP Representative Andy Ogles introduced the Make Greenland Great Again Act, which would authorize Trump to enter into negotiations with Denmark over purchasing Greenland.
Frederiksen's office said that "the Prime Minister and the incoming President have agreed to continue the dialogue."
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