Trump Jr. arrives in Greenland after his father says the United States should own it

US President-elect Donald Trump’s eldest son arrived in Greenland on Tuesday for a private visit that reinforced speculation that the new US administration may seek to take control of the mineral-rich Danish territory.

Danish public television reported that Donald Trump Jr.’s plane had landed in Nuuk, the capital of this vast icy territory which has some 57,000 inhabitants. Local media broadcast images of him walking on a snow-covered tarmac.

In a statement, Greenland’s government said Trump Jr.’s visit would take place “as a private person” and not as an official visit and that Greenlandic representatives would not meet with him. Greenland is an autonomous territory, part of Denmark.

Minguaq Kleist, permanent secretary of Greenland’s Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press that authorities had been informed that Trump Jr. would stay for about four to five hours.

Neither Trump Jr.’s delegation nor Greenland government officials have requested a meeting, Kleist said.

The visit nevertheless had political overtones.

The president-elect recently expressed his desire – also expressed during his first presidency – to acquire the Arctic territory, an area of ​​strategic importance to the United States, China, Russia and others.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, is located between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans and is home to a large US military base. It is 80% covered by an ice cap.

“I heard that the people of Greenland are “MAGA”. My son, Don Jr., and various representatives will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sites,” the president-elect said Monday evening on his social network, referring to his slogan “Make America Great Again” .

“Greenland is an incredible place, and people will benefit enormously if, and when, it becomes part of our nation,” Trump wrote. “We will protect and cherish it from a very vicious outside world. LET’S MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede has called for independence from Denmark, saying in his New Year’s speech that it would be a way for Greenland to free itself from its colonial past. But Egede also said he has no interest in Greenland becoming part of the United States, insisting the island is not for sale.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that Greenland’s future will be decided by Greenland and called the United States Denmark’s most important ally.

Danish King Frederik

Last month, the king changed Denmark’s coat of arms to include fields representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Greenland is represented by a silver bear with a red tongue. The royal communiqué noted that since 1194, the royal coat of arms “visually symbolized the legitimacy and sovereignty of the state and the monarch.”

“We are all united and each of us committed to the Kingdom of Denmark,” the king said in his New Year’s speech, adding: “all the way to Greenland.”

During his first term, the US president-elect mulled purchasing Greenland, which succeeded Denmark in 1979. He canceled a planned trip to Denmark in August 2019 after the prime minister rejected the idea.

Returning to the issue in a statement last month as he announced his choice for US ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote: “For reasons of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America believes that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute right. need.”

Trump’s eldest son became a prominent player in his father’s political movement and served on his presidential transition team, helping select the people who will staff the new White House.