'We don't want to be Americans': Political parties in Greenland push back against Trump's threat

The leaders of five political parties in Greenland said in the Parliament on Saturday that they do not wish to be part of the US after President Donald Trump reiterated using military force to acquire the minerals-rich country.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” the leaders of five parties in Greenland’s parliament said.

“The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”

What has Trump said?

Trump  on Friday doubled down on his threat to take over  Greenland , insisting that the United States is “going to do something [there] whether they like it or not”. The remarks from Trump came while he was speaking at a meeting with oil and gas executives at the White House.

During the talks, in front of the media, Trump went on to justify his comments by saying, “If we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland. And we’re not going to have Russia or China as neighbours." Trump’s latest threat came amid the mounting tensions between the US and Nato allies over the matter.

While speaking on the brewing tensions between  Nato and the US , Trump highlighted the alliance’s dependence on the United States. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have Nato right now,” Trump said on Friday. “But we’re not going to allow Russia or China to occupy Greenland, and that’s what’s going to happen if we don’t.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an invasion of Greenland would end “everything”, meaning the transatlantic NATO defence pact and the post-World War II security structure.

Trump has made light of the concerns of Denmark, a steadfast US ally that joined the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

“I’m a fan of Denmark, too, I have to tell you. And you know, they’ve been very nice to me,” Trump said.

“But you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the land.”