Trump hints at renewed interest in Greenland purchase for national security

Investing.com -- Donald Trump, the US President-elect, has suggested a renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. He stated that the US possession and control of the island is crucial for national security. This revisits a topic from 2019 when Trump proposed to purchase the world's largest island, a proposition that Denmark swiftly declined.

Trump expressed his views on Truth Social Sunday, stating that the US believes owning and controlling Greenland is of utmost importance for both national security and global freedom. The island already plays a significant role in American defense, hosting a US air base and radar station. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has amplified the military significance of Greenland to the US and NATO due to its strategic location between the Arctic and the North Atlantic.

The statement was made as Trump nominated Ken Howery, co-founder of PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL ), as the US ambassador to the Kingdom (TADAWUL:4280 ) of Denmark. Howery, who served as an ambassador to Sweden from 2019 to 2021 during Trump's first administration, responded that he intends to strengthen the ties between the US, Denmark, and Greenland.

Greenland's Prime Minister, Mute Bourup Egede, responded to Trump's post by email, reiterating that the island is not and will never be for sale. Egede did, however, emphasize that Greenland should remain open to direct cooperation and trade with other nations, particularly its neighboring countries.

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Source: Investing.com