Up to Greenland to decide its future, the Danish PM told Trump

Trump did not respond to calls publicly. However, he reposted on his TruthSocial account a 2019 poll that showed 68% of Greenlanders support independence from Denmark.

A referendum on independence is thought to be on the cards and Denmark has said it would respect any result.

When he was the last president, Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. When Frederiksen called the proposal “absurd”, he abruptly canceled his trip to Denmark.

The Danish government said that in his phone call with Trump, Frederiksen also emphasized that “Danish companies contribute to the growth of jobs in the US, and that the EU and the US have a common interest in strengthened trade.”

Last week, Trump threatened Denmark with high tariffs if the country does not give up Greenland.

The suggestion set off alarm bells among Danish industry leaders, as the US is Denmark’s second largest export market and any targeted tariffs would have a significant impact on the Danish economy.

On Thursday, Frederiksen will hold what Danish media called a “crisis meeting” with business leaders, including the CEO of beer giant Carlsberg and drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which makes popular obesity and diabetes drugs in the US.

He will also host an extraordinary Foreign Policy Council meeting with members from across parliament.

Greenland MP Aaja Chemnitz said she was satisfied with Frederiksen’s line that decisions about Greenland should be made by Greenlanders.

“I have great confidence in the prime minister’s duties, and I also have great confidence in Egede. I think it is important that they have a close dialogue,” he said.

Earlier this week, Egede said his government was ready to start dialogue with the incoming Trump administration.

But opposition MP Rasmus Jarlov said he did not reject Frederiksen’s approach.

Writing in X, he said: “It is completely unacceptable that (Frederiksen) renounces Danish rights in Greenland and puts sovereignty solely with (Greenlander) self-government when he talks to the President of the United States.”

Trump’s comments and his son’s visit to Greenland last week caused a lot of attention in Denmark. Faced with the prospect of angering what he often calls “Denmark’s closest ally”, Frederiksen measured his words while emphasizing Greenland’s right to self-determination.

Hans Redder, TV2’s political editor, said the fact that Trump had set aside 45 minutes for a phone call with Frederiksen indicated that “this Greenland thing is really something that is on Trump’s mind – not just a passing thought”.