US President Donald Trump has tweeted a Photoshopped picture of a huge Trump tower in Greenland.
Trump posted the tweet after it emerged he spoke to senior US officials about the possibility of buying the island from Denmark.
Trump’s tongue-in-cheek tweet was captioned ‘I promise not the do this to Greenland!’, seemingly referring to the outrage expressed by politicians over his plot to purchase the Arctic nation.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the idea of selling the territory to the US as ‘absurd’.
She told the Danish broadcaster DR: “It’s an absurd discussion, and Kim Kielsen (Greenland’s premier) has of course made it clear that Greenland is not for sale. That’s where the conversation ends.”
(Image: Donald Trump/Twitter)
The Wall Street Journal claims Trump asked advisers whether the US could acquire Greenland and listened with interest when they discussed its resources and geopolitical importance.
Some of his staff have supported the concept, the newspaper reported, but others have dismissed it as ‘fleeting fascination’ that will never happen.
Trump confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he had recently discussed the possibility of buying the island, though he said such a move was not an immediate priority.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
He said: “The concept came up and… strategically it’s interesting. (Although) it is not number one on the burner – I can tell you that.”
With a population of just 56,000, Greenland is a self-ruling part of Denmark.
Trump is set to visit Denmark early next month although the visit is unrelated to his desire to purchase the island, which former US President Harry Truman also tried to buy in 1946.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow trumpeted the benefits of the potential purchase, pointing to Greenland’s extensive mineral deposits and its strategic location.
Around 80 per cent of Greenland is covered in ice, however as this melts more and more of the minerals on the island are becoming accessible.
