Donald Trump scraps Denmark visit after interest in buying Greenland is rebuffed

Denmark’s prime minister on Wednesday insisted that the Scandinavian country was still interested in a “strategic co-operation” with the US in the Arctic even as she expressed her irritation at Donald Trump’s cancellation of his state visit to Copenhagen over her refusal to sell him Greenland.

Mette Frederiksen, the new center-left Danish premier, reiterated that the world’s largest island was not for sale but said she hoped to discuss the “opportunities and not least the challenges” in the Arctic with the US.

Ms Frederiksen told reporters in Copenhagen that she had received the news that Mr. Trump had cancelled his state visit “with regret and surprise”. But she added that “the developments in the Arctic region called for further co-operation between the US, Greenland, Faroe Islands and Denmark. I would like to underline our invitation for a stronger co-operation on Arctic affairs still stands”.

In a tweet late on Tuesday, the US president said Denmark was a “very special country with incredible people” but he would be “postponing” the visit after Ms. Frederiksen revealed she was not interested in discussing the purchase of the self-governing island that is part of the Danish kingdom.

“The prime minister was able to save a great deal of expense and

effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!” Mr. Trump added.

The president was due to visit Denmark on a brief trip to Europe in early September that includes a stop in Poland. Just a few hours before Mr. Trump cancelled the meeting, Carla Sands, the US ambassador to Denmark, had enthusiastically said in a tweet: “Denmark is ready for the POTUS @realdonaldtrump visit! Partner, ally, friend.”

Rufus Gifford, a former US ambassador to Denmark, apologized to the Scandinavian country and called Mr. Trump “a child”.

Denmark’s royal family, who had invited Mr. Trump for the state visit, said in a short statement to local media that the cancellation came as “a surprise” but had no additional comment.

Ms Frederiksen, on a visit to Greenland on Sunday, had called Mr. Trump’s proposal an “absurd” idea. “Greenland is not for sale,” she said. “Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I really hope that it’s not something that is seriously meant.”

The notion of buying Greenland may not have been at the top of Mr. Trump’s agenda, but it was still at the front of his mind early this week. In a tweet, the US president posted a picture of a town in Greenland, superimposing an image of Trump Tower on top of it. “I promise not to do this to Greenland!” he said.

The White House had touted Mr. Trump’s trip to Denmark, a Nato ally, as an opportunity to have bilateral meetings with officials and engage with business leaders but had not mentioned Greenland or the Arctic as a special topic of interest.

Had Mr Trump’s visit proceeded, it would have been overshadowed by his controversial proposal, which he likened to a large real estate deal.