Donald Trump Jr arrives in Greenland after his father says the US should have a territory

Donald Trump Jr has arrived in Greenland, two weeks after his father reiterated his desire for the US to take control of the independent Danish territory.

Before arriving in the capital Nuuk, Trump Jr said he would “go on a tour” to talk to people, and had no scheduled meetings with government officials.

US President-elect Donald Trump recently revived the controversy he sparked last month when he said “ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for US national security.

“We are not selling,” said the island’s prime minister at the time. “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” But Mute Egede also told the Greenlanders to take the next step towards self-government.

With a population of 57,000, Greenland has extensive autonomy – but its economy is heavily dependent on subsidies from Copenhagen and remains part of the Danish empire.

During his first term as president, Donald Trump expressed interest in buying an Arctic island. He was condemned then, as he is now.

When asked about Trump Jr’s visit to Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV that “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders” and that only local people can decide their future.

He admitted that “Greenland is not for sale”, but stressed that Denmark needs a very close cooperation with the US, a close NATO ally.

Greenland’s prime minister was due to meet King Frederik in Copenhagen on Wednesday, but the meeting was postponed due to what Egede called “calendar gymnastics”. Reports in Denmark said the prime minister was due to travel to Copenhagen on Tuesday.

The Danish government’s reaction to Trump Jr’s visit has frustrated many opposition politicians in Copenhagen.

Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov posted on social media in English that “this level of disrespect for the incoming US president against his most trusted allies and friends is unprecedented”.

After his son’s arrival in Nuuk, President-elect Trump said on his Truth Social platform that “the reception has been great”. The post included a selection of photos showing Trump Jr standing next to people wearing cute Make America hats as well.

Trump added that Greenland “along with the Free World, needs safety, security, power and peace!”

“Make Greenland beautiful again!” he said.

Before boarding his father’s private jet, called Trump Force One, Trump Jr, 47, said on his Triggered podcast: “No, I’m not buying Greenland” – even though he said he loves it there.

The president-elect’s eldest son played a major role during the 2024 US election campaign, often appearing at rallies and in the media.

Some of his father’s social media posts include a video showing an unnamed Greenlander, wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, telling Trump to buy Greenland and free it from “takeover” by Denmark.

The identity of the man in the clip was not clear, but Danish media reported that he had been sentenced six years ago for drug offences.

Greenland lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it very important to the US. It is also home to America’s largest space station.

Hours after President-elect Trump reiterated his interest in buying Greenland last month, the Danish government announced a a major boost to island defense spending. Denmark’s Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the timing of the announcement as “future confusion”.

On Monday, King Frederik X changed the royal coat of arms to reveal the representations of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Some saw this as a reprimand from Trump, but it could prove controversial with the Greenland separatist movement.

King Frederik used his New Year’s speech to say that the Kingdom of Denmark is united “all the way to Greenland”, adding that “we are together”.

But Greenland’s prime minister used his own New Year’s speech to say the island must break “from the shackles of colonial rule”.

Trump is not the first US president to propose buying Greenland. This idea was first proposed by the country’s 17th president, Andrew Johnson, in the 1860s.

Separately in recent weeks, Trump has done just that threatened to regain control of the Panama Canalone of the most important waterways in the world. He accused Panama of charging too much for access.

The president of Panama responded that “every square meter” of the canal and the surrounding areas belong to his country.