Danish reactions after Trump’s decision
U.S. President Donald Trump postpones his meeting with Denmark’s prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, he writes on Twitter.
According to Trump, the explanation is that Fredriksen has not been interested in discussing an American purchase of Greenland.
“The Prime minister has saved great expenditures and efforts for both the United States and Denmark,” says Trump.
Donald Trump will not be visiting Denmark at the beginning of September as planned.
“Denmark is a very special country with great people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments that she has no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will postpone our meeting,” says Trump on Twitter.
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….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2019
Despite the Danish rejection, Donald Trump also writes that he is grateful to Frederiksen.
“The Prime minister has saved great expenditures and efforts for both the United States and Denmark by being so straight. I thank her for that and look forward to planning something in the future, “Trump continues.
….The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2019
An official of the White House confirms to Reuters that the entire Trumps trip to Denmark is cancelled.
On Wednesday morning, there has not yet been an official reaction from Denmark, but several politicians comment sour in social media.
The party leader of Radikale Venstre, Morten Østergaard, writes on Twitter that Trump is unpredictable.
“This demonstrates why, more than ever, we should consider the EU countries as our closest allies,” says Østergaard.
The Danish Folkparty’s foreign policy spokesperson, Søren Espersen, writes on Twitter that Trump does not need to book any later visits.
“Why not just set it completely? We are busy with other things, “writes the Espersen.
Sweden’s former prime minister, Carl Bildt, also goes hard for Trump on Twitter.
“This is far beyond the Absurda: Trump makes a state visit to a long-time ally depending on whether the country is ready to give up parts of its territory,” writes Bildt.
Criticism in the United States and Denmark
Several Democratic politicians in the United States criticise Trump’s actions. The Democratic senator and presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar writes on Twitter:
“The president has now succeeded in alienating Denmark. I couldn’t foresee it, “says Klobuchar.
Cory Booker, also senator and presidential candidate, speaks out in an interview with CNN:
– It is utterly absurd. So you do not treat an ally, Booker says.
The US ambassador to Denmark does not seem to have been informed that Trump would cancel the trip to Denmark. On Tuesday night, she wrote on Twitter that the country was getting ready for a visit.
Denmark is ready for the POTUS @realDonaldTrump visit! Partner, ally, friend 🇺🇸🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/6VEtR1mbay
— Ambassador Carla Sands (@USAmbDenmark) August 20, 2019
“Insult to the Queen”
The Danish Folkparty’s foreign policy spokesperson Søren Espersen sees the announcement as a direct insult to Queen Margrethe.
“We are completely out of the absurd. He receives an invitation from the Queen, and so he does not know if he wants to come anyway, and now he sets the eleventh hour, says the Espersen to BT.
“This is a great insult to the Queen and the Court that has been on the way to planning the state visit. Normally there are eight to ten months in which to plan a state visit, he continues.
The Danish royal House also reacts to the announcement.
– It’s a surprise. More, we have not to say about the matter, says the Royal House Communications manager Lene Balleby according to several Danish media.
Trump confirmed: Interested in Greenland
Donald Trump had planned a visit on September 2-3, but expressed earlier this week uncertainty as to whether it really would get rid of, when he was interviewed in American media.
He also said that the reason for the visit was not to discuss a purchase of Greenland – yet he is now setting for exactly that reason.
However, he confirmed that he was really interested in buying Greenland from Denmark.
– It would have been strategically interesting. We will talk to them about it, but it is not the highest on the list, said Donald Trump then.
Frederik Sen calls the discussion absurd
Mette Frederiksen has been a few in the question, but has directly declined a possible purchase.
“It’s an absurd discussion and Kim Kielsen (the leader of the Greenland government Red. Note) has obviously made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, and so it is probably talked about it. Instead, there is really much else we are happy to talk to the American president about, she has said to DR.