Greenland's leaders expressed anger after President Donald Trump said U.S. acquisition of the Arctic territory “will happen” during comments at the Oval Office.

Summary

Trump renewed calls for the US to annex Greenland for “national security” reasons during an Oval Office briefing, claiming “I think it will happen.”

Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister Múte Egede responded on Facebook: “Enough is enough,” and planned to summon all Greenland’s political parties for a joint rejection.

Likely incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also called Trump’s statement “inappropriate.”

Trump also undermined Denmark’s claim to Greenland, saying it was “very far away and really has nothing to do” with the island.

Danish Defense Committee Chairman Rasmus Jarlov warned that US annexation “would mean war between two NATO countries.”

  • N0t_5ure@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    1 month ago

    “Naturally, the common people don’t want war. Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

    • Hermann Goering
    • peoplebeproblems@midwest.socialEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      He’s not wrong, but I don’t think pacifist is the word that should be used to describe the opposition to invading Greenland or Canada, or Panama.