Trump revives Greenland purchase plan with new ambassador pick
Donald Trump is once again stirring controversy with his plan to purchase Greenland. The United States cites the strategic need to control the island, which they believe is important for national security and global freedom.
Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has sparked international interest again by announcing Ken Howery's nomination as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. This decision recalls his idea of purchasing Greenland.
Trump on purchasing Greenland: an absolute necessity
"For the purposes of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America believes that having and controlling Greenland is an absolute necessity," Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform, in a post announcing Howery's nomination.
During his first term, Trump tried to acquire Greenland, which met with strong opposition from both the Danish authorities and Greenland itself. According to the "Wall Street Journal," Trump mentioned the plan at various levels of seriousness.
Greenland is home to the American Thule Space Force base, making the island a strategically crucial point for the U.S. The proposal to purchase was preceded by Trump's cancellation of a visit to Denmark, following a negative reaction from the Danish authorities to his offer, resulting in tension between Washington and Copenhagen.
Ken Howery, a business partner of Elon Musk and one of PayPal's co-founders, who previously served as the ambassador to Sweden, is now set to lead the U.S. embassy in Denmark. His close relationship with Musk spans several decades, adding an extra dimension to this nomination.
Greenland is the world's largest island that is not a continent. Its area is over 772,000 square miles, with 81 percent of its surface covered by an ice sheet. According to 2023 data, the island is home to more than 56,000 people.
