US president delays Denmark visit over Greenland row

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is postponing a trip to Denmark after its premier rejected his idea of purchasing Greenland, calling it “absurd”.

“Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the [U.S.] purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” Trump wrote on his Twitter account.

“The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!” Trump went on to say.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump had been asking his advisors in meetings, dinners and conversations whether the U.S. could acquire Greenland and would listen with interest when they discussed Greenland’s abundant resources and geopolitical importance.

In response, Greenland’s Foreign Ministry said on Twitter that “#Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism. We're open for business, not for sale.”

On Sunday, Frederiksen said it was “an absurd discussion".

"Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic," she told reporters.

"I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant."

*Writing by Sena Guler