Not for sale: Danish MPs ridicule idea of Trump buying Greenland

[webfact]

Not for sale: Danish MPs ridicule idea of Trump buying Greenland

 

FILE PHOTO: Snow covered mountains rise above the harbour and town of Tasiilaq, Greenland, June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

 

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish politicians on Friday poured scorn on the notion of selling Greenland to the United States following reports that President Donald Trump had privately discussed the idea of buying the world's biggest island with his advisers.

 

Trump is due to visit Copenhagen in September and the Arctic will be on the agenda during meetings with the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

 

"It has to be an April Fool's joke. Totally out of season," former prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Twitter.

 

The notion of purchasing the territory has been laughed off by some advisers as a joke but was taken more seriously by others in the White House, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Thursday.

 

Talk of a Greenland purchase was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

 

"If he is truly contemplating this, then this is final proof, that he has gone mad," foreign affairs spokesman for the Danish People's Party, Soren Espersen, told broadcaster DR.

 

"The thought of Denmark selling 50,000 citizens to the United States is completely ridiculous," he said.

 

Greenland, a self-ruling part of Denmark located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, is dependant on Danish economic support.

 

"I am sure a majority in Greenland believes it is better to have a relation to Denmark than the United States, in the long term," Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, Danish MP from Greenland's second-largest party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), told Reuters.

 

"My immediate thought is 'No, thank you'," she said.

 

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod were not available for comment but officials said they would respond later on Friday. The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen was also not immediately available for comment.

 

"Oh dear lord. As someone who loves Greenland, has been there nine times to every corner and loves the people, this is a complete and total catastrophe," former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, Rufus Gifford, said in on Twitter.

 

Greenland is gaining attention from global super powers including China, Russia and the United States due to its strategic location and its mineral resources.

 

In May, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Russia was behaving aggressively in the Arctic and China's actions there had to be watched closely as well.

 

A defence treaty between Denmark and the United States dating back to 1951 gives the U.S. military rights over the Thule Air Base in northern Greenland.

 

Greenland is part of Denmark with self-government over domestic affairs, while Copenhagen handles defence and foreign policy.

 

There has been no indication that a Greenland purchase will be on the agenda for Trump's talks with Danish officials.

 

Martin Lidegaard, senior lawmaker of the Danish Social Liberal Party and former foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard called the idea "a grotesque proposal" which had no basis in reality.

 

"We are talking about real people and you can't just sell Greenland like an old colonial power," he told Reuters.

 

"But what we can take seriously is that the U.S. stakes and interest in the Arctic is significantly on the rise and they want a much bigger influence," he added.

 

In 1917 Denmark sold off the then Danish West Indies islands for $25 million to the United States, which renamed them the United States Virgin Islands.

 

(Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Andreas Mortensen and Stine Jakobsen; additional reporting by Steve Holland in the United States, Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Angus MacSwan)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-16

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[RJRS1301]

Oh dear, surely not even POTUS could seriously believe that the people would prefer the USA to Denmark.

They have a stable economy, understand social justice, have world class health care  and education.

 

What drugs does the POTUS indulge in when his thumbs stop moving?

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Just now, RJRS1301 said:

What drugs does the POTUS indulge in when his thumbs stop moving?

That the wrong question.

It should be: Which drugs (medicine) did he forgot to take for too long?

Maybe he has severe PTSD from his dramatic bone spurs experience.

Doctor, I need my meds!

[Chomper Higgot]

I think it’s the lure of a pristine environment, it’s too good for him not to at least try and mess up.

[Briggsy]

Obviously Vlad put him up to it.

[RJRS1301]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I think it’s the lure of a pristine environment, it’s too good for him not to at least try and mess up.

Yes something else he could ruin

His avarice knows no bounds

He probably has to get advice as to where it was located once he found out it had minerals for exploitation

[Matzzon]

And people made this man the president!

[JHolmesJr]

I don't put any stock in this news. 

[Bluespunk]

I’m still astonished that trump doesn’t drink.

 

Half of what he says is akin to the ramblings of an alcoholic at 3.00 in the morning. 

 

However, surely even he isn’t this stupid. 

 

Though the fact this story is even circulating shows just how little credibility this disgrace of a president has. 

[RJRS1301]

2 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

I don't put any stock in this news. 

Because he would not have known where Greenland is :)??

 

 

[JHolmesJr]

18 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Because he would not have known where Greenland is :)??

 

 

 

Nah...because the 'news articles' all say "reportedly"..."according to sources" etc.

 

Probably some joke he cracked....but was fed to MSM because they're in cahoots with

Dems.

[Becker]

2 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Nah...because the 'news articles' all say "reportedly"..."according to sources" etc.

 

Probably some joke he cracked....but was fed to MSM because they're in cahoots with

Dems.

Well, it's better than being "in cahoots" with the Russians like a certain someone.

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Nah...because the 'news articles' all say "reportedly"..."according to sources" etc.

 

Probably some joke he cracked....but was fed to MSM because they're in cahoots with

Dems.

A more likely scenario is Trump’s team leaking a ridiculous story, letting it run them denying it came from them.

 

Set up the media with a fake story then shout ‘fake media’ so when what is coming down the pike can also be labeled fake.

[Jack Mountain]

Centuries ago a lot of Europe's lowest of the lowest went to Greenland, thinking it was green. Arrived they found out it was not. Realizing they were fooled they made a left turn and went to America. 

[RJRS1301]

5 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

Centuries ago a lot of Europe's lowest of the lowest went to Greenland, thinking it was green. Arrived they found out it was not. Realizing they were fooled they made a left turn and went to America. 

and bet if they could have the life the Danes have now, they would make a different decision

Health care

standard of living

education 

per capita wealth

 

[Shot]

1 minute ago, RJRS1301 said:

and bet if they could have the life the Danes have now, they would make a different decision

Health care

standard of living

education 

per capita wealth

 

At a 62% or so tax rate.

 

9 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

Centuries ago a lot of Europe's lowest of the lowest went to Greenland, thinking it was green. Arrived they found out it was not. Realizing they were fooled they made a left turn and went to America. 

And became the most powerful country in the world.

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, Shot said:

 

And became the most powerful country in the world.

Oh, is that so?

with so much social unrest, political division, racial bigotry,  and a very high incarceration rate, interfering in other countries domestic situations, gun violence.

 

[Shot]

2 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Oh, is that so?

with so much social unrest, political division, racial bigotry,  and a very high incarceration rate, interfering in other countries domestic situations, gun violence.

 

Yup, still is.  You can slice it and dice anyway you want, but the fact is.

[Jack Mountain]

12 minutes ago, Shot said:

At a 62% or so tax rate.

 

And became the most powerful country in the world.

With the help of imported brains. Btw. Morally not so powerful. 

[RJRS1301]

1 minute ago, Shot said:

Yup, still is.  You can slice it and dice anyway you want, but the fact is.

Can you spell CHINA?

 

[Shot]

Yes, can you?

 

[zydeco]

I do wonder if the Russians or Chinese decide it is imperative that they set up a Greenland station of their own, without Danish agreement, just who are the Danes going to ask to defend their territory?

[Shot]

40 minutes ago, zydeco said:

I do wonder if the Russians or Chinese decide it is imperative that they set up a Greenland station of their own, without Danish agreement, just who are the Danes going to ask to defend their territory?

At this point they are shining boots.

 

ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thule_Air_Base

[sfokevin]

The whole thing makes perfect sense!... Once all the snow melts there will be a perfect place to relocate all the residents of Florida...

 

Kidding aside i bet if you put a map of the world in front of Trump he could not find Greenland... 

[HeyHeyHey]

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Oh dear, surely not even POTUS could seriously believe that the people would prefer the USA to Denmark.

They have a stable economy, understand social justice, have world class health care  and education.

 

What drugs does the POTUS indulge in when his thumbs stop moving?

 

I don't know, the last time I checked the majority of the best universities in the world were in the US.

 

They also don't tax you 60%

 

And can you remind me the worldwide recognized companies Denmark produced? Few US ones come to my mind without even thinking

[DaRoadrunner]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

In 1917 Denmark sold off the then Danish West Indies islands for $25 million to the United States, which renamed them the United States Virgin Islands.

Could we persuade Trump to buy Thailand? It would put an end to our Immigration hassles. Though he would not in all conscience be able to rename it United States Virgin Territory.

[spidermike007]

There is no question in most of our rational minds, that Trump has become completely unhinged. He has always been a very unstable man, of very modest intelligence, and very little common sense. Now, he is off the deep end. So, nothing he says at this point can be taken seriously. He needs to be removed from office, as soon as possible, so the SDNY can try him, convict him, and take him off the streets for the rest of his life. Hopefully some family members will join him in prison. They all deserve it. And the world will rejoice! 

[Number 6]

Fake news

[mvdf]

56 minutes ago, HeyHeyHey said:

I don't know, the last time I checked the majority of the best universities in the world were in the US.

 

They also don't tax you 60%

 

And can you remind me the worldwide recognized companies Denmark produced? Few US ones come to my mind without even thinking

You're deluded. Take your meds. Now.

The best universities are in Europe. There. Get it now? 

American degrees are comprised mostly of "extra curricular" nonsense. Credits for cheerleading, backslapping, high fiving, baking, shooting balls in hoops, meddling in the domestic affairs of sovereign nations, obsession with guns, courses taught by people who teach with a nauseatingly disgusting accent, classless and culturally illiterate people who travel the world, audaciously thinking the rest of the planet is a geographical extension of their country. "how much is that in American money", "what's a 'pessport'?"

These long nosed meddlers think they can wantonly and randomly travel the world and claim they have a right to police the domestic affairs of independent countries. It's a good thing that Asian countries are taking a strong and solid stance against this pernicious meddling!

As for Greenland, it is without doubt that Greenlanders would rather be Danes than even for a fraction of a second entertain the thought of being identified as Americans. Nauseatingly disgusting.

 

[ballpoint]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

Kidding aside i bet if you put a map of the world in front of Trump he could not find Greenland... 

If you put a map of the world in front of Trump he could not find the map.