Trump intends to buy from Denmark, his son travels to Greenland. What's going on under the rug?

Days after Donald Trump pompously announced his desire to buy Greenland from Denmark, his son Donald Trump Jr. has traveled to the frozen island.

His visit is said to be of a private nature and there are no plans for official meetings with the Greenland government. Instead, a source told Reuters, that Trump Jr. plans to record a podcast.

However, Euractiv, citing sources from Greenland's political circles, reports that Trump Jr. will meet with Erik Jensen, head of the Social Democratic Party and Minister of Finance and Taxation. It is also suspected that because of the visit of Trump Jr. in Greenland, the meeting between the Prime Minister of Greenland Múte Egede and the Danish King Frederik X in Copenhagen has also been postponed.

Whether it's a tourist visit or a strategic mission, Trump Jr. will have the opportunity to test the waters and see how the people of Greenland breathe when the idea of ​​a possible American purchase is in the air. Although he does not have an official role in his father's cabinet, he is actively involved in the international business projects of the Trump Organization, a conglomerate owned by the US president-elect.

Late last year, Trump reiterated his desire for "ownership and control" of the world's largest island, an idea he first floated in 2019. As then, it was flatly rejected. "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and we will never be for sale. We must not lose our long fight for freedom," Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede said after Trump's remarks.

Denmark also reacted quickly by announcing a €1.3 billion increase in defense costs for Greenland. Despite his hardline views, Egede signaled a change in tone in his New Year's address, stressing that Greenland must remove obstacles to cooperation with other countries as a step towards freeing itself from the "shackles of the colonial era".

Greenland was a Danish colony until it gained self-government with its own parliament in 1979.

The prime minister also warned of the possibility of a referendum on independence, which could be held with parliamentary elections in April. Under a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenland has the right to declare independence through a referendum.

Although public opinion on the island generally supports the idea of ​​independence, there are concerns about the potential economic challenges and impact on living standards that such a decision would bring. Despite its wealth of minerals, oil and natural gas, Greenland's economy remains largely dependent on fishing and annual subsidies of 500 million euros from Denmark.

Throughout history there have been cases where territories have been sold. For example, in 1917, the US bought the West Indies colony of the Kingdom of Denmark, now known as the US Virgin Islands, from Denmark for $25 million in gold. In 1946, President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million for Greenland, much of which Denmark rejected.

However, in the case of an independent Greenland, the territory would enjoy full sovereignty, making any possible sale dependent only on its own legal and political decisions. Given their strong national identity and desire for self-determination, it seems unlikely that they would accept such a transaction in which they would become part of another nation. (A2 Televizion)