Donald Trump cancels Denmark visit over Greenland quarrel after Prime Minister said “Greenland is not for sale”

US President Donald Trump has cancelled a state visit to Denmark after the country’s prime minister said Greenland is not for sale to the US.

The president was scheduled to visit on 2 September, at the invitation of Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II.

At that point a week ago Mr Donald Trump proposed the US was interested in purchasing Greenland, an autonomous Danish region.

Danish PM Mette Frederiksen described the recommendation as “absurd” and said she trusted Mr. Donald Trump was not being serious.

Declaring the cancellation of his visit, Mr. Donald Trump tweeted: “Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time….”

A White House representative affirmed that the president’s visit had been canceled.

The president had before affirmed reports that he was interested in purchasing Greenland. At the point when inquired as to whether he would consider trading a US domain for the island, he answered: “Well, a lot of things could be done.”

“Essentially it’s a large real estate deal,” he said.

The proposal was expelled by Greenlandic and Danish authorities. “Greenland is not for sale, but Greenland is open for trade and co-operation with other countries, including the USA,” said the territory’s premier, Kim Kielsen.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the previous Danish prime minister, tweeted: “It must be an April Fool’s Day joke.”

Soren Espersen, foreign affairs representative for the populist Danish People’s Party, told national telecaster DR: “If he is truly contemplating this, then this is final proof that he has gone mad.”

Where is Greenland?

Greenland is the biggest island in the world (after Australia, which is characterized as a mainland in its very own right). It is an autonomous Danish domain, situated between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

It has a populace of around 56,000 individuals concentrated around the coastline. Practically 90% are indigenous Greenlandic Inuit individuals. It has a limited self-government and its own parliament.

Over 80% of the island is secured by an ice cap which is dreaded to liquefy because of global warming. The ice liquefy has expanded access to the island’s mineral resources.

But at the same time it’s believed that the subsiding ice may uncover toxic nuclear waste that was left at a few US military sites during the Cold War.

Why would it be request Trump?

Mr. Donald Trump has allegedly looked into Greenland, to some extent, on account of its natural resources, for example, coal, zinc, copper and iron ore.

In any case, while Greenland may be wealthy in minerals, it as of now depends on Denmark for 66% of its budget income. It has high rates of suicide, alcoholism and joblessness.

Two individuals informed on the talks told the New York Times the president was likewise interested in Greenland’s “national security value” because of its location.

The US has long seen the island as being deliberately significant and built up an air force and radar base there toward the beginning of the Cold War.

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher portrayed Mr. Donald Trump’s thought as a “smart geopolitical move”.

“The United States has a compelling strategic interest in Greenland, and this should absolutely be on the table,” he tweeted.

Has the US ever attempted to purchase Greenland previously?

Purchasing Greenland was first mooted during the 1860s under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

In 1867, a report by the US State Department recommended that Greenland’s key location, alongside its abundance of resources, made it an ideal acquisition.

However, no official move was made until 1946, when Harry Truman offered Denmark $100m for the region. He had before played with swapping land in Alaska for vital parts of Greenland, AP detailed.