US needs Greenland for national security: Trump

WASHINGTON

The US needs Greenland for national security reasons, President Donald Trump said Monday.

"We need Greenland for national protection," Trump told reporters in the state of Florida, pointing to what he described as a lack of military protection by Denmark, which governs the semi-autonomous territory.

His remarks came after he named Jeff Landry, the governor of the state of Louisiana, as Washington's special envoy to Greenland.

Trump called Landry "a great guy. He's a deal guy."

"We need Greenland for national security, not for minerals...We need Greenland for national security. And if you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it...Greenland's a big deal," he added.

Earlier, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a joint statement that Greenland belongs to Greenlanders.

"You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland," the statement said.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Monday that they will summon US Ambassador Kenneth A. Howery for an explanation after Trump appointed Landry.

Landry, for his part, thanked Trump on the US social media company X’s platform, saying: "It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S. This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!"

Formerly a Danish colony, Greenland achieved home rule in 1979 and remains a territory of Denmark.

In 2008, Greenland held a referendum where 75.5% of voters approved the Self-Government Act, which came into effect on June 21, 2009, granting Greenland greater autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark while retaining Danish control over foreign policy, defense and security.