The Blubber

Greenland may achieve independence if its people choose to, but it is unlikely to become a U.S. state, Denmark’s foreign minister said Wednesday following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to rule out using force to acquire the Arctic island.

Greenland’s leader met with the Danish king in Copenhagen on Wednesday, a day after Trump’s comments brought global attention to the strategically and resource-rich island, which remains under Danish sovereignty.

On Tuesday, Trump stated he would not rule out military or economic measures to bring Greenland under U.S. control. That same day, his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., made a private visit to the island.

Greenland, a NATO member through Denmark, is of strategic importance to the U.S. military, serving as a critical site for its ballistic missile early-warning system and as part of the shortest route between Europe and North America.

The president-elect has signaled plans for a more confrontational foreign policy, disregarding traditional diplomatic conventions.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been under Danish rule for 600 years, though its 57,000 residents now manage most of their domestic affairs. Greenland’s government, led by Prime Minister Mute Egede, has long aimed for eventual independence.

“We fully recognize Greenland’s aspirations. Should they be realized, Greenland could achieve independence, though it’s unlikely their ambition would extend to becoming a U.S. federal state,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen acknowledged the legitimacy of U.S. security concerns in the Arctic, particularly amid increased Russian and Chinese activity in the region.

“I don’t think we are facing a foreign policy crisis,” he said. “We remain open to dialogue with the U.S. on how we can enhance cooperation to ensure their strategic goals are met.”

While Denmark played down the seriousness of Trump’s remarks, the president-elect’s explicit interest in expanding U.S. borders has unsettled European allies just weeks before his inauguration.

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, stated that Europe would not allow external nations to threaten its sovereignty but added that he did not believe the U.S. would invade.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed surprise at Trump’s comments regarding Greenland and Canada, reaffirming that European partners unanimously uphold the sanctity of existing borders.