Editorial | Egos have no place in global relations
- In the wake of his absurd offer to buy Greenland from Denmark, Donald Trump now knows era of treating territories as real estate deals has passed
Until the exchange, the US and Denmark had good relations. All Trump needed to keep that in place was general knowledge and diplomatic behaviour. Greenland, while Danish territory, is self-ruled and only looks to Copenhagen for defence and foreign policy. The Danish constitution stipulates that the future of the island’s sovereignty is up to its population to decide in a referendum. Acquisition would involve not raising the idea of selling to the government of Denmark and negotiating a price, but convincing Greenlanders whether they would want to be part of the US.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the suggestion “absurd”, adding: “Thankfully, the time where you buy and sell other countries and populations is over.” Trump said the response was “nasty” and that “you don’t talk to the United States that way”.
The president has good reason for wanting Greenland, the island estimated to have more than one-quarter of the world’s reserves of the rare metals used in hi-tech applications; China dominates production and is threatening to disrupt American supplies over its trade war with the US. The island also hosts the US’ northernmost missile warning and space surveillance base and deep water port.