Trump wants to buy Greenland again, citing “national security” amid Ukraine war

Donald Trump indicated he still wants to buy Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, saying U.S. ownership and control of the island is an “absolute necessity” for national security.

The U.S. president-elect opened a 2019 debate by offering to buy the world’s largest island, a proposal that was quickly rejected by Denmark at the time.

“In the interest of national security and freedom around the world,” Trump said on social media Sunday, “the United States of America believes ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”

Greenland is already crucial to America’s national defense, as it has a U.S. air base and radar station. The war in Ukraine has dramatically increased the military value of the territory for the United States and NATO, given the island’s strategic location between the Arctic and the North Atlantic.

Trump made the statement on Sunday when he appointed PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as US ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery responded to Howery served as ambassador to Sweden from 2019 to 2021 under Trump’s first administration.

Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland in 2019 sparked tensions between the US and Denmark. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it “absurd” and made it clear that Greenland was not for sale.

The Danish government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the two Greenlandic MPs Aki-Matilda Hoegh-Dam and Aaja Chemnitz in the Danish parliament, the island is still not for sale, the Sermitsiaq newspaper reported on Monday.